Brewers Star Projected For $25M Deal Amid Uncertain Future

The Milwaukee Brewers don't have a ton of players to worry about this offseason, but there is one guy looming large right now.

That is two-time All-Star Brandon Woodruff.

Woodruff declined his side of a $20 million mutual option with Milwaukee and is now a free agent. The veteran righty made 12 starts in 2025 in his return to the mound after missing the 2024 season. He pitched to a 3.20 ERA and an 83-to-14 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 64 2/3 innings over that span. Woodruff showed that he's still got it, but there may not be a large deal coming, or at least that's the perception around baseball right now.

When free agency officially opens, the competition for his services will dictate what the market actually looks like. But, right now, ESPN's Kiley McDaniel is projecting Woodruff to land a deal in the ballpark of $25 million across two years.

"Projected contract: 2 years, $25 million ($12.5M AAV)," McDaniel said. "Woodruff declined his end of a $20 million mutual option (with a $10 million buyout) to hit the open market after he had a sterling return to the Brewers' rotation on the heels of missing the 2024 season due to shoulder surgery. In 12 starts in 2025, Woodruff narrowly set career bests for strikeout and walk rate, along with xERA, though his velocity understandably slipped a few ticks to 93.0 mph on average, which is now below league average. Woodruff has a new pitch mix and approach: His fastball, cutter and sinker are three variations of a fastball with slightly different targets and movement profiles, and his changeup is his pitch to keep hitters honest. He throws those four pitches 95 percent of the time.

The Brewers should re-sign Brandon Woodruff

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

"Shoulder surgery is less of a slam dunk to fully return from than elbow surgery, so durability will be a question, though Woodruff seems poised to be a standout performer in any role if he can stay healthy. If he passes the physical, he seems tailor-made to land with a big-market team that can afford to gamble that it'll have a standout arm for parts of the season, but it isn't likely he'll post 150 innings in a season again."

Spotrac currently has Woodruff's projected market value to be a bit higher at just over $34 million across two years.

Regardless, with a projected price tag between $25 and $34 million, that's something that the Brewers should absolutely consider for their homegrown star. Despite the fact that his velocity was a bit down in 2025, as McDaniel pointed out, he had minimal rust despite missing the entire 2024 season.

When the 2026 season gets here, he'll be even further removed from his shoulder injury as well. Again, right now these are just projections and the market will shake itself out depending on competition for him, but if his eventual contract falls in this range, it should be with Milwaukee.

More MLB: Brewers Send 8-Year Veteran To Free Agency Despite Productive Season