Brandon Woodruff, a 6’4”, 244-pound right-handed pitcher, has been a linchpin for the Milwaukee Brewers since his 2017 debut. Born February 10, 1993, in Tupelo, Mississippi, the 11th-round pick from 2014 evolved into a two-time All-Star, wielding a fastball-slider duo that’s baffled hitters. His career, however, has been marred by injuries, most recently a shoulder surgery that erased his 2024 season. Here’s a detailed look at his stats, injury history, and the latest on his 2025 return as of March 1, 2025.

Season-by-Season Stats

  • 2017: Woodruff debuted August 4 against Tampa Bay, winning with 6.1 scoreless innings, allowing seven hits and fanning six. In eight starts, he went 2-3 with a 4.81 ERA over 43 innings, striking out 36. A hamstring tweak delayed his start until August.
  • 2018: Splitting time between Triple-A and Milwaukee, he posted a 3-0 record and 3.61 ERA in 19 games (four starts), logging 42.1 innings with 47 strikeouts. His postseason shine included three shutout NLDS innings and a memorable NLCS homer off Clayton Kershaw.
  • 2019: An All-Star breakout saw him finish 11-3 with a 3.62 ERA in 22 starts, striking out 143 across 121.2 innings. An oblique injury sidelined him from July 22 to September 16.
  • 2020: In the COVID-shortened year, he tied for the NL lead with 13 starts, going 3-5 with a 3.05 ERA and 91 strikeouts in 73.2 innings, anchoring the rotation.
  • 2021: Another All-Star nod came with a 9-10 record, 2.56 ERA, and 211 strikeouts in 30 starts over 179.1 innings. His 0.96 WHIP ranked among the league’s best, despite a brief shoulder soreness IL stint.
  • 2022: Woodruff went 13-4 with a 3.05 ERA in 27 starts, tallying 153.1 innings and 190 strikeouts. Shoulder inflammation cost him April-May time, but he still led the staff with 15 quality starts.
  • 2023: Limited to 11 starts by shoulder issues, he excelled with a 5-1 record, 2.28 ERA, and 74 strikeouts in 67 innings. A subscapular strain (April 11-August 6) and a late capsular injury ended his year.
  • 2024: Woodruff sat out entirely, rehabbing from shoulder surgery on the 60-day IL after re-signing with Milwaukee in February 2024.

Career Totals (Through 2023)

In 134 games (115 starts), Woodruff boasts a 46-26 record, 3.10 ERA, 788 strikeouts, and a 1.05 WHIP over 680.1 innings. His playoff ERA sits at 2.45 across 18.1 innings.

Injury History

Injuries have shadowed Woodruff’s ascent. A 2017 hamstring strain pushed his debut back. In 2019, an oblique strain cost him two months. Shoulder soreness in 2021 was minor, but 2022’s shoulder inflammation sidelined him early. The 2023 season was his toughest: a Grade 2 subscapular strain in his right shoulder struck after two starts (April 11-August 6), followed by a capsular injury late in the year. Surgery on October 13, 2023, repaired his anterior capsule after he allowed four runs over five innings against Miami on September 23—his last outing before the procedure.

“It just kind of gave out on me,” Woodruff told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in October 2023, lamenting the capsular injury’s timing.

Recovery Timeline and Expected Return

Woodruff’s October 2023 surgery, performed by Dr. Keith Meister, initially projected a 9-12-month recovery, potentially stretching into October 2024. The Brewers non-tendered him in November 2023 but re-signed him to a two-year, $17.5 million deal in February 2024 (with a $20 million mutual option for 2026 or $10 million buyout), expecting him to miss 2024. He confirmed this in a March 2024 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel interview, saying, “I’m targeting a return in 2025.”

Rehab progressed steadily. By December 2024, he began throwing, hitting bullpens twice weekly by January 2025. “I’m in a really, really good spot,” he told MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy in early January 2025. On February 14, 2025, he faced hitters for the first time since 2023, throwing 20 pitches in live batting practice, exceeding expectations per AP News. A February 27 session reached 92 mph over 26 pitches, with manager Pat Murphy noting a “great day-after discussion” to McCalvy on February 28.

No firm return date exists. Woodruff told MLB.com in January 2025, “I can’t answer [if I’ll be ready for Opening Day], but my mindset is to get ready for that.” Murphy has suggested he may miss the March 27 opener against the Yankees. A rehab assignment in the minors is probable if he can’t pitch in Spring Training games. Woodruff views the first half of 2025 as an “evaluation period,” per McCalvy, aiming for full velocity (mid-90s) later in the year.

“I’ve still got a long ways to go,” he said on February 14, 2025, to ESPN. “Today was another hurdle.” FanGraphs’ Steamer projects a 3.79 ERA over 157 innings in 2025, assuming he pitches.

Outlook

At 32, Woodruff’s 3.10 career ERA and 10.8 K/9 (2019-2023) signal ace potential if his shoulder holds. Missing nearly two seasons raises workload concerns, but his return could fortify the rotation, eyeing another NL Central crown. A healthy Woodruff might be a requirement to redefine Milwaukee’s 2025 ceiling.