Will the Brewers’ top rotation addition be Brandon Woodruff?
Compared to prior years, the Milwaukee Brewers’ starting rotation appeared somewhat different in 2024.
The Brewers’ success has been built on their starting rotation throughout their recent run of dominance in the regular season. However, the rotation soon became their greatest problem as they dealt away Corbin Burnes a few months after losing Brandon Woodruff to injury previous summer.
Nevertheless, their pitching didn’t falter in 2024 even though they used 17 different starters, including openers. Milwaukee put up a very successful rotation that helped the team win the division for the second time in a row, but lacking the same level of continuity.
Teams are currently looking to strengthen their squads, frequently through free agent acquisitions, as the MLB offseason is well underway. The Brewers’ largest roster addition this winter, though, might come from within.
Brandon Woodruff’s Return
Woodruff had surgery back in October 2023 to fix his throwing shoulder’s anterior capsule. This would mean that he would miss the entire 2024 season.
A few months after they non-tendered him last November because of the injury, the Brewers signed Woodruff to a multi-year contract. The Brewers understood how important Woodruff had been to their recent success, therefore it was crucial that he remained with the team.
Woodruff has had a significant impact on this organization since his debut in 2017. He has pitched to the tune of a 3.10 ERA and a 3.19 FIP over his seven-year contract.
One of the most valuable pitchers to come through the organization, the two-time All-Star placed fifth in the 2021 NL Cy Young voting.
Woodruff is ready to return to the mound for the Brewers in 2025 after recovering from surgery for a year.
A Consistent Model.
Keep in mind that Brandon Woodruff has established himself as one of Major League Baseball’s most reliable and consistent starters when healthy. Since joining Milwaukee as a full-time starter in 2019, he has proven to be incredibly dependable, as evidenced by the figures in the table below.
It’s not simple to provide the consistency Woodruff has been able to year after year.
Over the years, he has been a very successful starter due to his flawless command. In four of his last five seasons, he has had a walk rate of 6.1% or less, and he hasn’t recorded a strikeout rate below 29% since 2018.
His career 1.05 WHIP shows that he has been very good at keeping traffic on the base paths, and he is the epitome of what an anchor at the top of the rotation should look like.
Considering the Brewers’ potential 2025 starting lineup, Woodruff’s inclusion might greatly increase the dependability of a group of starters with a diverse range of
