Counsell-Woodruff Reunion With Chicago Cubs Now Possible

The Chicago Cubs have already taken in one former Milwaukee Brewers star. Could they do it again?

The Milwaukee Brewers’ decision to non-tender pitcher Brandon Woodruff on Friday has obvious implications for Woodruff, who is now without a home and dealing with a recovery from a shoulder injury.

But it also has implications for the Cubs, potentially, because of Woodruff’s connection with new Cubs manager Craig Counsell. Or, should we say, former Brewers manager Craig Counsell.

It would be unwise to rule out a reunion between Counsell and Woodruff in Chicago. Counsell was Woodruff’s manager for his entire career. And the right-hander was one of Milwaukee’s best starters in that span.

In seven seasons with Milwaukee he went 46-26 with a 3.10 ERA. He has 788 career strikeouts and 176 career walks. He struck out 10.4 hitters per nine innings and walked just 2.3 per innings.

His best season was 2022, during which he went 13-4 with a 3.05 ERA. He was an All-Star in the 2019 and 2021 seasons.

In 2021, he finished fifth in Cy Young voting despite a 9-10 record. He had a 2.56 ERA.

His low walk rate and low career WHIP (1.045) will make him a desirable option, along with the postseason experience he acquired while with Milwaukee.

So why is Woodruff available? The Brewers were in a tight spot logistically.

Woodruff pitched just nine starts in 2023 as he dealt with shoulder issues. When he pitched, he was sharp, as he had a 2.59 ERA. But the shoulder issue came up again just before the Brewers started their NL Wild Card series and they shut Woodruff down.

After the season, he underwent surgery to repair the anterior capsule in his throwing shoulder. It’s likely he will miss a good portion of 2024, if not all of it.

The issue for the Brewers was that Woodruff was in his final year of salary arbitration, where he could have made $11 million. Then he will become a free agent after the 2024 season.

The Brewers could have tendered Woodruff and signed him to a deal only to see him not pitch in 2024 and then test free agency. Or, they could have tried to sign him to an extension.

The Brewers even, reportedly, talked with other teams about trading Woodruff, per MLB.com. But those talks went nowhere.

In the end, the Brewers non-tendered Woodruff and allowed him to move into free agency.

If this all sounds familiar, it is. Last offseason the Los Angeles Dodgers non-tendered Cody Bellinger after two awful seasons. He was named the NL Comeback Player of the Year and is now a free agent seeking a long-term contract.

Bellinger had the benefit of not being hurt at the time he was non-tendered. Any team that takes Woodruff on would have to wait at least part of 2024 while recovers. But, signing Woodruff, even if it’s just for 2024, comes with the benefit of being able to make him the qualifying offer after the 2024 season, an offer that will likely be north of $20 million.

A team could also structure the deal like Bellinger’s with options that benefit both sides, depending upon how Woodruff recovers.

There’s no guarantee Woodruff pitches in 2024. But his track record — and relationship with Counsell — makes it an interesting proposition for both sides.