Milwaukee Brewers fans held their breath Thursday afternoon as ace pitcher Brandon Woodruff made an early exit from his start against the Arizona Diamondbacks, raising immediate concerns about the two-time All-Star's health.
Woodruff's departure came abruptly during the second inning, after the right-hander showed a dramatic drop in velocity that had coaches and trainers rushing to the mound. The 33-year-old threw just 21 pitches, with his fastball averaging a mere 85.4 mph—a far cry from his season average of 92.5 mph and a stark contrast to the dominant form fans have come to expect.
The trouble began after Woodruff allowed a one-out single to Lourdes Gurriel Jr. With a 1-0 count on Nolan Arenado, Brewers personnel made the call to check on their star pitcher, who then handed the ball over to reliever Grant Anderson. Anderson came through in the clutch, striking out both Arenado and Alek Thomas to end the inning.
"He wasn't himself," manager Pat Murphy told reporters. "He felt kind of dead. He said he didn't feel any pain, just that nothing was coming out. We've seen a little bit of this, but never at this level where he can't get the ball over 85 miles an hour." Murphy emphasized the team's cautious approach: "He's so important, we're not going to risk anything maybe long-term by having him try to step on it."
Woodruff's health history adds weight to the concern. The veteran pitcher missed the 2024 season entirely after undergoing shoulder surgery, then made a strong return midway through last year, posting a 7-2 record with a 3.20 ERA in 12 starts. He also dealt with a lat strain during the postseason, spending much of spring training working his way back to avoid opening the season on the injured list.
Despite the alarming velocity drop, Woodruff didn't allow any runs in his abbreviated outing. He entered Thursday's game with a 2-1 record and 3.60 ERA across six starts this season. The right-hander has been a cornerstone of the Brewers' rotation, accepting a $22 million qualifying offer to stay in Milwaukee rather than testing free agency.
Woodruff's career numbers speak volumes: a 55-29 record and a 3.13 ERA that, before Thursday's game, stood as the best in Brewers history for any pitcher with at least 500 innings. For now, the team and its fans can only wait and hope that this latest setback is a minor blip rather than a sign of something more serious.