Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff will undergo season-ending surgery to repair the anterior capsule in his right shoulder, marking his second such procedure in three years. The 33-year-old confirmed the decision prior to Saturday’s series opener against the Miami Marlins, ending his 2026 campaign.
Ironically, the team distributed bobbleheads of Woodruff to fans before the game. His return timeline for 2027 remains unclear, as he previously missed the entire 2024 season after a similar procedure in 2023, returning only in July of last year.
In 12 starts during his comeback, Woodruff posted a 3.20 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 64 2/3 innings before a September lat strain ended his season. He had been on the injured list since July 5 due to shoulder inflammation, exiting a start against Arizona after 61 pitches with visibly declining velocity, from 92.5 mph down to 86.6 mph.
“It’s tough to come back from what he’s going to have to come back from,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Saturday. Woodruff, who had previously gone on the IL in May with shoulder inflammation and a cyst removal, finishes 2026 with a 2.98 ERA in nine starts, 47 strikeouts, and a 2-2 record.
The Brewers enter play with the National League’s lowest team ERA at 3.47, second in MLB only to the Yankees. However, they were dealt another blow this week with Kyle Harrison’s placement on the IL due to left forearm tightness, with his MRI results pending. Meanwhile, veteran Lance McCullers joined the team via trade from Houston and is initially expected to work out of the bullpen.
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