The Milwaukee Brewers have officially placed right-hander Brandon Woodruff on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, following his early exit from Thursday's start. The move, announced Friday, comes as little surprise after Woodruff's velocity took a dramatic dip—his fastball sat at just 85 MPH before being pulled in the second inning, well below his season average of 92.5 MPH.
Manager Pat Murphy remained cautious about an IL stint after Thursday's game, but the decision became clear overnight. To fill Woodruff's roster spot, the Brewers recalled reliever Easton McGee from Triple-A Nashville. McGee has already made a few appearances for the big league club this season and will add a fresh arm to a bullpen that had to cover extra innings after Woodruff's abbreviated start. Shane Drohan turned in four heroic innings of relief in that game, but he'll need a few days to recover.
This latest setback adds to the Brewers' rotation concerns. Quinn Priester is still working his way back from a wrist injury that sidelined him all spring, and now Woodruff joins him on the shelf for the foreseeable future. The good news? Woodruff told reporters Friday that there's no structural damage—just inflammation that needs to settle down. He expects his IL stint to be close to the minimum 15 days.
Before Thursday's hiccup, Woodruff had been quietly effective despite not fully regaining the elite velocity he flashed prior to his 2023 shoulder injury. Over six starts and 30 innings this season, he posted a solid 3.60 ERA with 25 strikeouts and just seven walks, touching 96 MPH at times. His absence will be felt, but the prognosis offers hope for a quick return.
With Woodruff's next turn in the rotation due Tuesday, the Brewers have several options. Drohan could get the nod after stretching out in relief Thursday. Alternatively, Coleman Crow or Robert Gasser—both of whom pitched in a Triple-A doubleheader Thursday—would be on regular rest. Logan Henderson is also in the mix. For now, Milwaukee will lean on its depth and hope Woodruff's shoulder bounces back as quickly as expected.