Brandon Woodruff's Velocity Dropped 7 MPH and the Brewers Are Hitting the Panic Button

The Milwaukee Brewers just placed Brandon Woodruff on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, and this is bad. Not because a few weeks off is the end of the world, but because this guy's shoulder has been a nightmare for years. Woodruff said himself there are no structural concerns and it should be a minimal IL stint, but honestly, his track record screams otherwise.

The Red Flags Were Already There

Here's the thing: Woodruff has been broken for a while. He threw just 11 starts in 2023, then missed all of 2024 after shoulder surgery. Last season he made 12 starts but ended up back on the IL with a lat strain. The Brewers rolled the dice anyway, handing him a $22.025MM qualifying offer that he accepted, and he made it through camp looking healthy enough.

Then yesterday happened. Woodruff took the mound and his fastball was ghost. He was sitting around 85 mph when he's been averaging 92. That's a 7 mph drop. Yeah, you read that right. Manager Pat Murphy said Woodruff wasn't in pain, just felt his arm was dead. The Brewers did an MRI and suddenly the conversation shifted from maybe skipping a start to shutting him down for two weeks.

The Rotation Is About to Get Really Ugly

Jacob Misiorowski is taking the next turn, followed by Kyle Harrison, Chad Patrick and Brandon Sproat. But by Tuesday? Milwaukee needs either a bullpen game or another starter because the rotation can't stay healthy. Shane Drohan, DL Hall and Jake Woodford have been throwing multiple innings out of the pen. One of them might get a spot start. Or maybe it's a combination deal.

The Brewers also have depth in Triple-A: Logan Henderson, Robert Gasser, Coleman Crow and Carlos Rodriguez are all on optional assignment and could get called up if Woodruff's absence turns into something longer. Right now, Easton McGee was recalled to give them an extra bullpen arm, but that's a band-aid on a bigger problem.

The bottom line is this: Woodruff hasn't been fully healthy for any real stretch since 2022. That shoulder is going to dog him, and Milwaukee's rotation is about to get tested hard.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.