Brewers' Season Hinges on Brandon Woodruff's Consistent Health

The Brewers could struggle this season if Brandon Woodruff can't stay healthy and consistent...

Sep 6, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff (53) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers have been quite aggressive this offseason, but it hasn't come in the way that fans would have thought.

They opted to trade Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets and Caleb Durbin to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for a haul of talent. On the surface, these look like head scratching deals, but the Brewers always seem to have a plan that nobody else can see.

However, trading Peralta was a bit risky because they don't have much proven pitching talent at the top of their roster. Considering how injury prone pitchers can be, it wouldn't be shocking to see a few arms go down with injuries. Not having Peralta at the top is a risk, but with his contract expiring at the end of the season, it was the right decision.

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Bleacher Report's Zachary Rymer recently noted Brandon Woodruff, who dealt with injuries down the stretch of the season last year, was somebody to be concerned about heading into the upcoming season.

Brewers need Brandon Woodruff to stay healthy and consistent

Sep 6, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff (53) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

"William Contreras' recovery from finger surgery is also worth monitoring, but he was just fine when it was broken. And besides, the Brewers aren't on the hook to pay him $32 million this year, as they are with Woodruff," Rymer wrote. "It's a lot of money for a pitcher who has just 23 starts to show for the last three years. The lat strain he suffered last year should be in the past, but you can never take anything for granted with 33-year-olds with injury histories like his."

Woodruff finished the season with injury concerns, but those should be gone at this point. The biggest issue is the fact that he's the only proven star in the Brewers rotation.

Quinn Priester was very good last year, but he hasn't done it long enough to be the most reliable option. Jacob Misiorowski is still finding his stride at the big-league level. Having Woodruff is the security net the Brewers need at the top of the roster. They can't afford for him to struggle with injuries like he has in the past.

More MLB: Brewers Landed Caleb Durbin's Successor in Freddy Peralta Trade