Brewers Reunite With 7-Year MLB Veteran After Brief Split

It certainly sounds like the Milwaukee Brewers aren't actually losing veteran reliever Jake Woodford after all.

Milwaukee designated Woodford for assignment after logging a 6.94 ERA and a 20-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 23 1/3 innings pitched in 16 outings with the big league club this season. Woodford cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A, but rejected the assignment and opted for free agency instead. While this is the case, he's not actually leaving the organization.

Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors reported that Woodford is re-signing with the Brewers on a minor league deal with opt-outs on July 1 and Aug. 4.

"Brewers are re-signing RHP Jake Woodford to a minor league deal, I’m told," Adams wrote. "He rejected an outright assignment in favor of free agency yesterday after clearing waivers. New deal has opt-out dates on July 1 and Aug. 4."

The Brewers Are Keeping The Veteran Hurler

May 4, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jake Woodford (41) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

While Woodford wasn't great in the majors before being DFA'd, this is for the best. This is a seven-year big league veteran we're talking about with 127 appearances under his belt in the majors. You don't get to that point unless you can do something to help a club out. Another thing that is important to note is that while his ERA was 6.94 before being DFA'd, his FIP was 3.97. FIP is a metric that attempts to take defense out of the equation and determine how impactful a pitcher is without defense skewing the metrics. So, a 3.97 FIP vs. a 6.94 ERA is a clear sign that there was some bad luck for Woodford behind him on defense. Minor league deals are cheap and have virtually no downside anyway.

So, the Brewers are getting a veteran back in the mix down in Triple-A at a time when hurlers have been dropping left and right due to injuries. It's an absolute win for the depth of the organization. Plus, the Brewers have shown over and over again that they know what they're doing when it comes to pitching depth. So, if the Brewers' front office thinks it's the right call to bring Woodford back into the organization, it's probably the right call. Or, at least, the club has earned the benefit of the doubt.

This move may not impact the Brewers in the majors on Tuesday, but it's something that is positive for the club in general in the long run.

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