Brandon Woodruff Breaks Silence On Latest Brewers Setback

The Brewers star opened up about his tough season...

Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff (36) delivers during a rehab start as the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers host the West Michigan Whitecaps Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wis.The Timber Rattlers defeated West Michigan 4-2. Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin | Wm. Glasheen/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers star can't catch a break right now.

Milwaukee ace Brandon Woodruff hasn't appeared in a game at the big league level since Sept. 23, 2023. He's been so close multiple times this year to making his long-awaited return, but just hasn't had good luck.

The reason why Woodruff hasn't pitched at the big league level since 2023 is because of a shoulder injury that sidelined him throughout the 2024 campaign. He has been working his way back. Milwaukee moved him along slowly in Spring Training and he has since been on minor league rehab assignments.

When it seemed like his return was imminent, an ankle injury forced him into a second minor league assignment. When he was making what again seemed like his final minor league start, he was forced to leave after getting hit with a comebacker.

Woodruff opened up about the season to this point, as transcribed by MLB.com's Joey Pollizze.

"That’s life,” Woodruff said. "I could have been walking down the street and broke my ankle walking off the sidewalk or something. It’s about putting everything in perspective. I was lucky that I got away with what I got away with. It could have hit me in the head. It sucked in the moment because I’d gotten to essentially the finish line the last two times, and something has popped up. Stay positive. Things can happen like that...

"I just got to get the swelling out. Initially, when it hit me, there was no getting out of the way. It was a pure reaction. When it hit me, it got me good. I think everything happens for a reason, in a sense. I’d rather not get hit and have to miss a little time here, but it’s crazy how this whole thing works out. It hit me in a spot where it didn’t cause any damage. I didn’t know that in the moment."

His time will come, but it has been a tough season so far.

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