Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff eager to take next step in his comeback after missing 2024 season

By: Andrew Wagner, The Associated Press Posted: 8:37 PM CST Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025

PHOENIX (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff will face hitters for the first time in more than a year Friday as he continues to work his way back from a shoulder injury.

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PHOENIX (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff will face hitters for the first time in more than a year Friday as he continues to work his way back from a shoulder injury.

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PHOENIX (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff will face hitters for the first time in more than a year Friday as he continues to work his way back from a shoulder injury.

Woodruff will throw live batting practice, the latest step forward in the two-time All-Star’s comeback after he missed the 2024 season while recovering from surgery.

Woodruff, 32, hasn’t faced a batter since Sept. 23, 2023, when he allowed four runs over five innings in a 5-4 loss to the Miami Marlins. The Brewers announced just before the start of their 2023 NL Wild Card Series loss to Arizona that Woodruff wouldn’t be available. He underwent surgery that October.

FILE - Milwaukee Brewers' Brandon Woodruff pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, in Milwaukee, Sept. 11, 2023. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash, File)

He’ll be a full participant at spring training this year, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll be ready to go when the regular season begins March 27.

That’s not because of any lingering issues from the surgery, nor the result of any setback during the rehabilitation process. Instead, it’s simply a matter of being cautious with a player working his way back from a significant procedure.

“I’m healthy,” Woodruff said Wednesday. “I’m coming into camp healthy. I feel good. I just have to take different steps than everybody else. I haven’t had a setback. I’m not hurt. I’m just in a different spot. I’ve had surgery, but I’m coming into spring healthy, so I just have to take it slower than everybody else because I haven’t pitched in a year and a half.”

Woodruff is expected to throw around 20 pitches during his live session Friday. He will have a better idea of where he’s at in the day or two following that outing as his arm recovers.

“I think he’s in a good spot,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “He just wants to face hitters.”

While Woodruff is ready to take the next step in his recovery, left-hander DL Hall will have to wait a little longer to get his spring program started.

Murphy said Hall sustained a lat strain before camp opened and will be shut down for at least the first two weeks. That likely removes Hall from contention to make the opening day rotation.

Hall, who missed much of last season with a knee injury, was a front-runner to earn the fifth spot behind Freddy Peralta, Nestor Cortes, Tobias Myers and Aaron Civale until Woodruff is ready to return to the mound. Murphy announced Wednesday that Peralta will start the March 27 opener at Yankee Stadium.

Left-hander Aaron Ashby, who missed much of last season with a shoulder injury, will get a shot to claim the final spot. The Brewers added another candidate Wednesday by signing veteran left-hander Tyler Alexander to a one-year contract.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb