The Milwaukee Brewers placed starter Brandon Woodruff on the 15-day Injured List with a right lat strain, the team announced Tuesday. The move’s retroactive to September 18.
That timing matters. With just one week left in the regular season, Woodruff would be eligible to return for the NLDS on October 4 – assuming Milwaukee holds onto baseball’s best record and secures home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
It’s another setback for a pitcher who’s had his share of them.
Woodruff missed all of 2024 with a right shoulder injury and didn’t make his 2025 debut until July. Now he’s dealing with a lat strain that’ll keep him out of Milwaukee’s final regular season games.
The 83 strikeouts over 64.2 innings tell you what the Brewers will be missing. Woodruff’s posted a 3.20 ERA across 12 starts since returning, looking like his old self when healthy.
Playoff Implications
Milwaukee’s built for October success with or without Woodruff. Their starting staff has been dominant all season, the bullpen’s reliable, and the offense plays fundamental baseball that travels well in the postseason.
But starting pitching becomes even more critical once October arrives. Every starter matters when you’re facing elimination games and shorter rotations.
The Brewers have the depth to weather this absence during the regular season’s final week. What they’re really hoping for is that Woodruff can return healthy for the playoffs – and that this lat issue doesn’t linger like some of his previous injuries.
From where I’m sitting, the timing could’ve been worse. Getting this sorted now gives Woodruff nearly two weeks to get right before the games that really matter.
All things considered, Milwaukee’s in position to make a deep run. They’ve got the record, the pitching depth, and now they just need their veteran starter back when October baseball begins.
