Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff underwent a minor shoulder procedure and could resume throwing.
The Milwaukee Brewers received encouraging news regarding veteran starter Brandon Woodruff after the right-hander underwent a minor procedure earlier this week to relieve inflammation in his surgically repaired shoulder.
Manager Pat Murphy said Woodruff could begin throwing again as soon as this weekend following the procedure, which was performed Monday after the pitcher experienced lingering discomfort in his right shoulder.
Woodruff’s velocity noticeably dipped during his most recent outing against the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 30, when he recorded only four outs before exiting. The veteran later described the issue as a “dead arm” feeling, prompting the Brewers to place him on the Injured List and conduct further evaluations.
An MRI reportedly showed inflammation but no new structural damage, offering some relief to Milwaukee’s medical staff. Woodruff then traveled to Dallas to meet with Dr. Keith Meister, who previously performed surgery on the pitcher’s shoulder in 2023.
During the visit, fluid causing the inflammation was drained in what the Brewers characterized as a relatively minor procedure.
The organization remains optimistic that Woodruff’s absence could be shorter than initially feared. Murphy indicated the current plan calls for the right-hander to progress through several bullpen sessions before potentially returning to the Brewers’ rotation.
Woodruff has been an important piece of Milwaukee’s pitching staff when healthy, though injuries have limited his availability over the past few seasons. The Brewers are expected to take a cautious approach with the veteran as he works his way back into game action.
Milwaukee also received a positive update regarding designated hitter Christian Yelich, who has continued ramping up baseball activities during the club’s current road trip.
Yelich recently resumed taking batting practice on the field and is expected to face live pitching sometime next week while also increasing his baserunning workload.
The former MVP hopes to avoid a lengthy Minor League rehab assignment before returning to the active roster, believing additional live at-bats and on-field work could prepare him to rejoin the lineup directly.
With both Woodruff and Yelich trending in a positive direction, the Brewers could soon regain two key veterans as they continue navigating the middle portion of the season.
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