Woodruff (lat) will start for the Brewers in Saturday's Cactus League game against the Guardians.

EDGE Analysis

Woodruff ended the 2025 season on the 15-day injured list due to a right lat strain. He was limited to mound work and live batting practices to open spring training, and the 33-year-old right-hander is ready to take the next step by pitching in a competitive setting Saturday. It's a positive sign that Woodruff will be on the Brewers' Opening Day roster.

The Brewers say Woodruff (lat) is "on track to begin the season in the rotation," Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

EDGE Analysis

Woodruff is scheduled for a two-up live batting practice session Sunday and then he will begin game progression, per Rosiak. This report comes one day after Woodruff said his Opening Day availability is "up in the air," so expect many more reports on Woodruff's status between now and the start of the season. Woodruff hasn't thrown 70-plus innings in the majors since 2022, so the Brewers will proceed with caution this spring in hopes of having him available for the postseason.

Woodruff (lat) said Monday that his Opening Day availability is "up in the air right now," Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Woodruff is a bit behind schedule in Brewers camp after he ended last season on the injured list with a right lat strain. He threw a live batting practice session Monday and will face hitters at least once more before perhaps being cleared to pitch in a game setting. Woodruff noted Monday that he's "in a good spot," but he did not want to commit to being ready once the regular season begins, saying his goal is to have a healthy season and "be available at the end of the year when it matters most." The righty held a 3.20 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 83:14 K:BB in 64.2 innings last season for the Brewers.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy said that Woodruff (lat) will throw a live batting practice session Monday, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

EDGE Analysis

He will throw an additional couple live BP sessions after Monday before progressing to Cactus League outings. Woodruff is considered healthy, but the Brewers are slow-playing him this spring after his 2025 season ended due to a right lat strain. The veteran hurler held a 3.20 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 83:14 K:BB in 64.2 innings last season after making it back from shoulder surgery and returned to Milwaukee when he accepted the team's one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer in November.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Wednesday that Woodruff (lat) "is in a good spot" physically and has resumed throwing bullpen sessions, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

EDGE Analysis

Woodruff appears to have steered clear of any setbacks in his recovery from a moderate-grade right lat strain that surfaced late in the regular season and kept him out for the Brewers' playoff run last fall, but Murphy implied that the veteran right-hander will be slow played during spring training nonetheless. Murphy cited Woodruff's injury history as a reason for exercising some caution in his ramp-up program; the 33-year-old missed the entire 2024 season after undergoing capsule repair surgery on his shoulder, and he endured multiple setbacks during the rehab process last season before finally making his 2025 debut in July. Despite showing diminished velocity upon his return, Woodruff was excellent for Milwaukee before succumbing to the lat strain, posting a 3.20 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 83:14 K:BB in 64.2 innings. Assuming he's ready to go for the start of the season, Woodruff should be the favorite to receive the Brewers' Opening Day starting nod after Milwaukee traded staff ace Freddy Peralta away to the Mets in January.

Woodruff (lat) accepted the one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer from the Brewers on Tuesday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

The veteran right-hander declined his $20 million mutual option for 2026 earlier in November, but he'll return to Milwaukee for a ninth season on the qualifying offer. Woodruff spent the first three months of the 2025 campaign rehabbing from shoulder, ankle and elbow issues, but he was effective when available with a 3.20 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 83:14 K:BB across 64.2 innings. He went down with a lat strain in September and missed the final weeks of the season but is expected to be healthy for spring training.

The Brewers extended a one-year, $22.05 million qualifying offer to Woodruff (lat) on Thursday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Woodruff declined his $20 million mutual option earlier this week, and it's possible the veteran right-hander could do the same to Thursday's qualifying offer in search of a multi-year deal. Woodruff suffered a lat injury in late September, but he's expected to be a full-go for spring training. He logged a 3.20 ERA and an 83:14 K:BB across 64.2 innings spanning 12 starts in 2025.

Woodruff (lat) became a free agent Monday after declining his $20 million mutual option for 2026, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

EDGE Analysis

The option came with a $10 million buyout, leaving Woodruff with an easy decision to decline it. Woodruff posted a 3.20 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 83:14 K:BB over 64.2 innings covering 12 regular-season starts in 2025 before going down with a right lat strain in late September. He's expected to be ready for spring training. The right-hander will turn 33 in February and represents a high-risk, high-reward option on the free-agent market.

Woodruff (lat) is expected to be 100 percent well ahead of spring training, MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Woodruff didn't pitch after being diagnosed with a moderate right lat strain in late September. The injury is unrelated to his previous shoulder surgery, and the expectation is that he'll be fine after some rest. Woodruff and the Brewers have a $20 million mutual option for 2026 that carries a $10 million buyout. He pitched very well in 2025 when able to toe the rubber, collecting a 3.20 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 83:14 K:BB over 64.2 innings covering 12 starts. Woodruff will turn 33 in February and will remain a major injury risk heading into 2026.

Woodruff (lat) said Sunday that he's yet to resume playing catch and won't be on the Brewers' roster for the NLCS against the Dodgers, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The veteran right-hander landed on the injured list Sept. 21 due to a moderate right lat strain, so it's not a major surprise he's still not available just three weeks later. Woodruff could be added to the roster for the World Series if Milwaukee can get past Los Angeles, but the odds are stacked against him given where he currently stands in his recovery.