The Milwaukee Brewers made a notable roster adjustment before Game 1 of the 2026 World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays, choosing veteran right-hander Brandon Woodruff over Chad Patrick.

Both teams submitted their 26-man rosters Friday afternoon before the series opener at American Family Field.

Milwaukee largely retained the group that carried it through the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres and the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The only significant change involved Woodruff, the longest-tenured player in the organization. He secured an active roster spot after working his way back from a right shoulder issue that had kept him out since early July.

Milwaukee leads the World Series 2-0 after erasing a four-run deficit to earn a 5-4 victory in Game 2 on Saturday.

Adding Woodruff required the Brewers to leave Patrick, a versatile right-handed reliever, off their 26-man roster.

Before learning that he would not be included, Patrick spoke about his willingness to accept whatever decision Milwaukee made. He emphasized that the situation was not about him because winning the game remained the priority.

“At the end of the day, it’s not about me. It’s about winning the game,” Patrick told Lily Zhao from FOX6 News on Thursday.

Patrick last pitched at home against the St. Louis Cardinals on Sept. 27, when he gave up four runs on two hits (one home run) with zero strikeouts and two walks in 1/3 of an inning.

He went 2-0 with a 3.72 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in 9.2 innings over his last nine appearances, recording one save and one hold.

Patrick finished the season 9-4 with a 3.40 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 106 innings over 57 appearances (six starts). He recorded six saves and 11 holds.

Unless an injury creates an opening, Patrick will not pitch in the World Series.

Milwaukee’s decision carries some risk because of the rules governing roster replacements during the series. The team had previously expressed concern about activating Woodruff and potentially being unable to replace him easily if he experienced another setback.

Woodruff, a two-time All-Star, was considered a candidate for season-ending surgery earlier in the summer after developing inflammation in the anterior capsule of his right shoulder. The same area required surgical repair following the 2023 campaign.

Instead, Woodruff progressed through live sessions and simulated work sufficiently to convince Milwaukee that he was ready for the Fall Classic. This is the first time in his career that he has been eligible to pitch on MLB’s biggest stage.

Patrick had handled several assignments for Milwaukee, including starting, covering multiple innings and working shorter relief appearances. That versatility helped the Brewers manage changing workloads throughout the season.

His comments before the decision demonstrated that he understood the team’s priority. Patrick wanted to contribute, but he recognized that Milwaukee would construct its roster according to what it believed offered the best opportunity to defeat Tampa Bay.