Brewers Concern Lingers After Brandon Woodruff’s Early Exit

It certainly doesn't sound like the Milwaukee Brewers are going to see Brandon Woodruff when his next turn comes up in the club's rotation.

Woodruff got the start for Milwaukee on Thursday and only pitched 1 1/3 innings before being pulled from the contest. The veteran struggled with velocity problems and averaged 85.4 miles per hour on his fastball before coming out. That's a significant drop from his average of 92.5 miles per hour, that he had before the contest.

After the game, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the club is going to give Woodruff some "time off," although it isn't guaranteed he will be placed on the Injured List.

"The Brewers are going to give Brandon Woodruff some time off, Pat Murphy said. Unsure of an IL move or not yet. Woodruff will undergo testing and imaging, but says he didn’t feel injured during the outing," Hogg wrote.

Brewers Starter Brandon Woodruff Is Getting "Time Off" After Getting Yanked Early

Apr 30, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff (53) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Fortunately, the Brewers do have some good depth on their hands right now. If Woodruff needs to miss any time, Brewers No. 6 prospect Logan Henderson would be an obvious option to move into the rotation.

Henderson already has made one start for Milwaukee in the majors this season. He has made five appearances down in the minors with Triple-A Nashville and has a 1.02 ERA in 17 2/3 innings pitched. Last season, he made five starts for the Brewers in the majors and he logged a 1.78 ERA in 25 1/3 innings pitched.

Also, Brewers starter Quinn Priester is down in the minors on a rehab assignment. He has made two appearances with Triple-A Nashville so far. At some point in the near future, he'll be ready to go. It's unfortunate to potentially lose Woodruff. While Jacob Misiorowski may be the club's best starter at this point, Woodruff is the veteran of the group. Plus, he has been a longtime star for this club. He's the type of hurler you need in your rotation and in your clubhouse.

If Woodruff misses time, fortunately the Brewers do have options to replace him. But if Milwaukee is going to live up to its lofty potential, it's going to need Woodruff at some point. Hopefully, this is just a blip on the radar. The velocity decline was concerning. Over the next few days, we should find out more.

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