The Milwaukee Brewers face a key roster decision on veteran right-hander Brandon Woodruff before opening the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Brewers reached the Fall Classic after sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 in the National League Championship Series. The Rays advanced by beating the Cleveland Guardians 4-2 in the American League Championship Series.
Game 1 begins at 8 p.m. ET Friday at American Family Field in Milwaukee. The series marks the first time either club has claimed a title, and the Brewers’ first appearance since 1982.
Woodruff has not pitched since July 4 after dealing with right shoulder inflammation that forced multiple injured-list stints this season.
He completed a 23-pitch live batting practice session Tuesday at American Family Field against the club’s primary lineup. His fastball registered 90-92 mph.
Woodruff faced Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio, Jake Bauers, William Contreras and Brice Turang in the workout, his first against live hitters in nearly four months.
“I’m not going to be mad either way, you know what I mean?” Woodruff said. “There’s all the stuff we’ve been through, but then there’s the other side. I get it from their vantage point. The apprehensions, I understand that. All I could do was put myself in a position to be an option.”
Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold told MLB.com the team is “Still working through our meetings” on final roster choices, which are due Friday morning.
Shoulder problems have repeatedly interrupted Woodruff’s career. He missed the entire 2024 season after surgery, made 12 starts in 2025 and only nine this year before returning to the injured list.
This season he went 2-2 with a 2.98 ERA, 47 strikeouts and a 0.84 WHIP across 45 1/3 innings.
In his career with Milwaukee since 2017, Woodruff owns a 3.10 ERA and 918 strikeouts in 790 1/3 innings over 151 games, 136 of them starts.
He has made eight postseason appearances, posting a 3.18 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings.
Roster rules add another layer. A player can be replaced during a postseason series only for an acute, non-chronic injury, and club officials have expressed concern that any further issue with Woodruff’s shoulder might be treated as pre-existing, preventing an immediate replacement.
The Brewers finished the regular season 103-59, the most wins in franchise history, while the Rays went 98-64. Both organizations built competitive clubs with relatively modest payrolls.
Woodruff, the longest-tenured player on the roster, has said he accepts whatever decision the club reaches after evaluating his recent work.
The Brewers plan to wait until the final hours before submitting their World Series roster for Game 1.
