Brandon Woodruff Return Creates 'Roster Conundrum' For Brewers

The return of Brandon Woodruff isn’t great news for one member of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Woodruff is set to start on Sunday versus the Miami Marlins. It’ll be the first time Woodruff steps on a Major League mound since September 2023. The two-time All-Star underwent shoulder surgery in October 2023, and the road back has been riddled with setbacks. Ankle tendinitis early this season, followed by a line drive hitting Woodruff’s elbow in June, delayed his return, which is now about to take place 22 months after his last big league outing.

Woodruff, by all accounts, is healthy and ready to reclaim his spot in Milwaukee’s rotation. But that’ll also mean that another Brewers starter loses his spot.

FanSided’s Tremayne Person recently discussed this quandary for Milwaukee.

“While the return of their ace is a boost, it also presents a roster conundrum the front office can’t ignore,” Person wrote.

“Adding Woodruff back into the mix isn’t as simple as handing him the ball every fifth day. The Brewers will need to make two critical decisions: who eventually exits the rotation to make room, and who loses their 40-man roster spot to activate him. Rotation-wise, the Brewers may opt to run a six-man rotation for a short stretch to ease Brandon Woodruff back into action. But eventually, a decision will need to be made — likely coming down to Quinn Priester, Chad Patrick, or even Jacob Misiorowski if he struggles. All three have been reliable in their roles, though none have fully locked down a long-term spot in the rotation. It’s a tough call to make, but signs point towards Patrick.”

Sadly, Patrick may have to sacrifice his spot in the rotation for the betterment of the team. If Woodruff returns to being Woodruff, he’ll be at the top of Milwaukee’s rotation along with Freddy Peralta, with Jose Quintana, Misiorowski, and Priester filling out the back end.

Even a lesser version of Woodruff would still be a good mid-rotation arm for Milwaukee, sealing Patrick’s fate.

The Brewers — and other teams in the National League Central, for that matter — will be watching closely to see if Woodruff returns to form. He was 5-1 with a 2.28 ERA in 2023 before hitting the Injured List.