Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff underwent surgical operation to restore the anterior pill in his appropriate shoulder on Friday, the group introduced. He is anticipated to miss maximum, if now not all, of subsequent season. Woodruff suffered a shoulder harm past due within the common season and was once now not on Milwaukee’s Wild Card Series roster.
“Brandon is not only one of the best pitchers in our franchise’s history, but is also a valued member of our organization off the field,” GM Matt Arnold mentioned in a commentary. “He and his wife, Jonie, have gone above and beyond here in the community. Brandon’s health is our top priority at this point in time.”
Woodruff, 31 in February, made two begins in April, then was once positioned at the injured listing with shoulder irritation. The harm sidelined him till early August. He was once efficient upon his go back, despite the fact that he were given hit round in his ultimate common season get started, and confirmed lowered speed as neatly. Soon thereafter the Brewers introduced he would miss a minimum of the Wild Card Series.
The harm clouds Woodruff’s long term. He is these days scheduled to turn into a loose agent after 2024 and MLB Trade Rumors projects an $11.6 million salary through arbitration in 2024. The Brewers ranked twentieth with an $118.8 million Opening Day payroll this yr. Would they dedicate more or less 10% of their 2024 payroll to Woodruff whilst he rehabs, just for him to then turn into a loose agent?
That may be very not likely and suggests there are two imaginable results:
- The Brewers minimize ties and non-tender Woodruff this iciness, sending him into loose company.
- They signal him to a multiyear contract that stops him from being a loose agent subsequent offseason.
Given the uncertainty that includes shoulder surgical operation, Woodruff would possibly leap at a multiyear contract, even one with a far decrease 2024 wage than his projected $11.6 million. Then once more, do the Brewers need to dedicate more than one years and critical assured greenbacks to a glass coming off shoulder surgical operation? It can be a dangerous contract.
This is a significant process and pill accidents specifically are worrisome. Many pitchers who’ve their pill repaired returned as lesser variations of themselves. John Danks, Rich Harden, Mark Prior, and Johan Santana had their careers derailed through pill surgical operation. That mentioned, Julio UrÃas returned wholesome and efficient following his pill surgical operation in July 2017.
Woodruff’s long term, in addition to the long run of fellow 2024 loose brokers Willy Adames and Corbin Burnes, are a few of the largest questions going through the Brewers this offseason. Freddy Peralta is Milwaukee’s best established beginning pitcher beneath contract or group regulate past 2024. Burnes, Adrian Houser, and Eric Lauer will all be loose brokers after subsequent season.
This previous season, Woodruff threw 67 innings with a 2.28 ERA round his shoulder bother. The two-time All-Star has a 2.93 ERA since shifting into the rotation full-time in 2019. The 1-2-3 punch of Burnes, Woodruff, and Peralta has been central to Milwaukee’s good fortune the previous couple of seasons.
The Brewers went 92-70 and received the NL Central in 2023. They had been swept in two video games through the Arizona Diamondbacks within the Wild Card Series.