MLB Rumors: Brandon Woodruff, Brewers Agree to 2-Year Contract in 2024 Free Agency

Tyler Conway@@jtylerconwayFeatured Columnist IVFebruary 19, 2024

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The Milwaukee Brewers and starter Brandon Woodruff reportedly agreed to a two-year contract Monday.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported the news, though financial terms were not disclosed. Woodruff spent his first seven seasons with the Brewers before hitting free agency.

The 31-year-old is expected to miss the entire 2024 season after undergoing shoulder surgery in October. He was limited to just 11 starts last season, posting a 5-1 record with a 2.28 ERA and 0.82 WHIP while striking out 74 batters in 67 innings pitched.

When healthy, Woodruff has the talent to be one of the National League’s best arms. He made All-Star appearances in 2019 and 2021 and has not posted an ERA above 3.62 since his rookie campaign in 2017. Overall, Woodruff is 46-26 with a 3.10 ERA over the course of his career.

The Brewers are seemingly willing to take the lumps on eating Woodruff’s salary while he rehabs in order to deploy him fully healthy in 2025. Milwaukee has made the playoffs in four of the last five seasons and is coming off its second NL Central crown in three seasons in 2023.

Woodruff was originally scheduled to start Game 2 of the Brewers’ Wild Card series against the Arizona Diamondbacks but was scratched due to the shoulder injury.

The benefit for Woodruff re-signing is obvious. He gets to collect a salary this season while rehabbing with an organization where he already has familiarity before returning a year from now. Should Woodruff return to form in 2025, he’ll be able to re-enter the free-agent pool that winter with his value—and his arm—fully rehabbed.