Why Brewers Included Brandon Woodruff in Opening Day Rotation

The ramp-up was a bit sudden, but it all makes sense

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff (53) throws in the outfield during spring training workouts Saturday, February 14, 2026, at American Family Fields of Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona. | Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Brandon Woodruff is about to begin the highest-paid season in Milwaukee Brewers history for a starting pitcher, so the team has plenty of incentive to get things right with his progression.

Woodruff accepted the team's $22 million qualifying offer in November, just weeks after taking a $10 million buyout on his declined club option for this season. He's thrown just 131 2/3 innings over the last three years, but he's getting paid like someone how to throw more than that combined total this year alone.

After ending last season on the injured list with a lat strain, Woodruff had a slow build-up this spring, and there was a legitimate question about whether he would join the major league roster right from the jump or open the season rehabbing in the minors. Milwaukee ultimately decided he should be on the 26-man roster for opening day.

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Why Woodruff didn't want to go to minors

Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff works during a spring training game at Diablo Stadium on March 7, 2026. | Curt Hogg / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On Monday, Woodruff discussed the logic behind that decision, hinting that he was heavily involved in the discussion and didn't feel as though more buildup in the minors was necessary.

“There’s a lot to play around with,” said Woodruff, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. “I felt like personally, I was in a good spot. I was recovering. My pitch count is a little less than some of the guys coming out of camp, but the stuff was there. I didn’t necessarily want to go pitch in Minor League games. I’ll roll with it early on and get that good base under me.”

Woodruff threw three innings and 62 pitches in his most recent outing, which came on Thursday against the Texas Rangers. He'll pitch once more in an exhibition on Wednesday before the regular season opens with Jacob Misiorowski on the mound Thursday against the Chicago White Sox.

There's a lot of Brewers stock invested in Woodruff staying healthy this year, and there's no perfect playbook for doing that when someone has missed as much time as he has over the past two years. All they can do is cross their fingers and hope he's able to ramp up without pushing things too hard early in the year.