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Brewers get injury updates on 2 key pitchers

Originally posted on MLB on ClutchPoints
By Mike Gianakos | Last updated May 3, 2025 6:42 PM ET

The Milwaukee Brewers have endured a brutal start to the 2025 season. The team has struggled to produce at the plate early in the year and the offensive ineptitude has been on full display this week as the Brewers were shut out in back-to-back games, getting outscored 18-0 by the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Cubs.

In addition to Milwaukee’s offensive woes, the team’s pitching staff has been decimated by injuries this season as starters Brandon Woodruff, Nestor Cortes and Aaron Civale are all currently sidelined with ailments.

Civale made his season debut in March but landed on the 15-day IL with a hamstring injury after one outing. Then Civale suffered a concerning setback in his recovery in mid April, which left the veteran righty without a timeline for a return to the rotation. But the Brewers’ received a positive injury update on the seventh-year starter Saturday. Milwaukee also updated Woodruff’s progress in his rehab stint.

The Brewers’ starting rotation has been a disaster in 2025

Milwaukee Brewers Pitcher DL Hall (37) pitches during a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024. Max Correa / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK

Civale is set to begin a rehab assignment on Wednesday with the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate, the Nashville Sounds, per MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy on X. He was able to throw a live bullpen session Saturday.

The Brewers acquired Civale in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays last July. He was productive in 14 second-half starts with Milwaukee last season. Civale went 6-3 with a 3.53 ERA, 1.216 WHIP and 7.9 K/9 in 74 innings.

The Brewers could also get Woodruff back in the rotation soon as the two-time All-Star hasn’t experienced a setback since beginning a rehab assignment in April. The team plans to let the pitcher make two more starts in the minors, completing a 30-day rehab stint, before he rejoins the Major League staff, per McCalvy.

Woodruff established himself as Milwaukee’s de facto ace, finishing fifth in NL Cy Young voting in 2021 and producing another strong season in 2022. However, the veteran righty needed shoulder surgery in October 2023 and missed the entire 2024 season. His healthy return would be a major boost for the team’s rotation and could possibly help get Milwaukee back on track after a disappointing start this year.

Meanwhile, fourth-year pitcher DL Hall tossed two innings in the Arizona Complex League and the Brewers plan to prepare him like a starter in order to give the team options if the rotation remains depleted when he’s ready to rejoin the Big League roster, according to McCalvy.

This article first appeared on MLB on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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