PHOENIX, Ariz. — Brandon Woodruff is back with the Milwaukee Brewers for 2026, and he has something to prove.
Speaking at Brewers Spring Training in Phoenix, the right-hander reflected on a turbulent stretch over the past three seasons that included two significant injuries, an uncertain offseason with free agency, and a decision to accept the club's qualifying offer of $22.025 million, making him the first pitcher in franchise history to earn more than $20 million in a single season.
Watch: After injury-filled postseasons, Brandon Woodruff is back with something to prove in 2026
"I think I knew it in my heart, like this is where I needed to be. Obviously, I've been here my whole career. And if I had to spend, you know, anywhere in the major league pitching on one year, like I would do it here," Woodruff said.
Since making his Major League debut with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2017, Woodruff has gone 53-28 with a 3.10 ERA across eight seasons and has been named to the National League All-Star team twice.
Pat Murphy told us a couple of weeks ago that Brandon Woodruff’s careful build-up means he might not be regular-season ready until shortly after Opening Day. It seems the same may be the case for Quinn Priester. Just a case of caution after last year’s wrist discomfort.
— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) March 3, 2026
Over the past three seasons, health has been the defining storyline of his postseason career. Woodruff injured his right shoulder late in the 2023 season and underwent surgery in October, sidelining him for the following season and the first three months of 2025.
He returned to a major league diamond in July 2025 and posted 12 starts before suffering a lat strain at the end of September, marking a third-straight postseason barred by injury.
"As a competitor, it crushes you because you want to be out there with your teammates," Woodruff said.
Now healthy and preparing for spring competition, Woodruff said the next step is seeing how his pitching translates to in-game situations.
"It's been good. I feel healthy. I feel strong. That's the most important part. Now you just kind of got to go out on the field and see where your stuff's at because you can do all the live (batting practice) you want in the stadium. You can face our guys, but everything changes — intensity changes. The mindset changes when you get into a real game, and I know it's just spring training, but all that helps prepare you for the season," Woodruff said.
The uncertainty of free agency — compounded by his injury history — made the offseason a complicated one. Accepting a qualifying offer is rare in MLB, but Woodruff said the circumstances made it the right call.
"You've got to try to find out what your market is very fast, and sometimes it's hard to do unless you're just a slam dunk guy that's going to go sign the mega contract. You got to fill these things out, and in my case, you know, the lat strain probably hampered me a little bit," Woodruff said.
Despite the challenges, he is not ready to be written off.
"I caught myself the other day speaking (to the team), and I was like, look, I'm in it with you guys. Like I have a lot left to prove. Like I'm not just the old guy that's kind of fizzling out, and I'm here because I've got experience. Like I still have a lot to prove," Woodruff said.
When asked what he wants to accomplish when the season is over, his answer was straightforward.
"Oh, man, I'd love to win a World Series. I think that's everyone's first goal. From a personal side, I just want to be healthy. If I can be on the field, that stuff will take care of itself. But the ultimate goal is to win a World Series and and and win playoff games as a team," Woodruff said.
His personal goal is equally clear.
"I just want to pitch that at the end of the year when it matters," Woodruff said.
Woodruff is set to make his spring debut Saturday against the Angels. While the calendar would allow for three outings before the March 26 Opening Day, he said the priority right now is simply being fully healthy and taking things day by day.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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