PHOENIX — Brandon Woodruff, a right-handed pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, who was sidelined all of last season due to shoulder surgery, has announced his plans to participate in an upcoming minor league spring training match this week.
Woodruff recently completed his fourth live batting practice session on Wednesday. He then proceeded to meet with Dr. Keith Meister, the surgeon who performed his operation, on Thursday. The surgeon gave Woodruff a promising update on his recovery.
In an interview, Woodruff shared, “I had a positive checkup. It’s the usual process: progressing and recovering. Dr. Meister encouraged me to move towards actual games.” He expressed that while there’s initial excitement in live batting practice, some of the thrill diminishes after repeated sessions. Noting a stabilization in his pitching velocity since his first practice, he added, “Initially, I hit 92 mph, but I’ve maintained that speed. It’s not a setback, but rather a plateau, and now it’s time to transition into a game setting.”
Woodruff is hopeful to make his minor league appearance as early as Tuesday when those games commence. Should that outing go as planned, Woodruff is optimistic about pitching in a major league game within the Cactus League next.
The 32-year-old pitcher has an impressive track record with the Brewers, boasting a 46-26 win-loss record with a 3.10 ERA over the span of seven seasons. In the 2023 season before his injury, Woodruff was achieving a career-high with a 5-1 record and a 2.28 ERA in 11 games.
