Brandon Woodruff is running out of time to make an impact during the postseason, but the Milwaukee Brewers right-hander is determined to give himself a chance to return to the mound.

After avoiding season-ending surgery on his right shoulder in August, Woodruff has continued working toward a potential comeback. His latest progress includes throwing bullpen sessions, bringing him another step closer to facing hitters as Milwaukee pursues a World Series appearance.

The veteran pitcher understands the difficulty of his situation, particularly with the Brewers needing to get past the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series before he could have an opportunity to pitch in the Fall Classic.

Still, Woodruff believes the possibility of returning is worth pursuing, even with a limited window to prepare.

Woodruff threw his first bullpen session in San Diego before completing another workout ahead of Milwaukee’s NLCS preparations on Saturday.

During the latest session, he threw 20 pitches at full effort for his current stage of recovery. The workout consisted entirely of fastballs, although he has also been throwing breaking balls and changeups during recent flat-ground sessions.

Rather than focusing on velocity, Woodruff is concentrating on his recovery and building toward the next stages of his throwing program.

That progression would give Milwaukee an opportunity to evaluate how close Woodruff is to being game-ready. However, he still has several steps to complete before he could realistically contribute during the postseason.

Woodruff's comeback attempt comes after another difficult stretch dealing with his shoulder. He first sustained the injury in September 2023, and the subsequent recovery process has limited his opportunities to pitch during the postseason.

Avoiding surgery in August kept the possibility of a return alive, but the timing leaves little room for setbacks.

Even if the Brewers advance to the World Series, Woodruff would need to demonstrate that he can handle the demands of pitching against major-league hitters. His progress during bullpen sessions is encouraging, but it does not guarantee he will be ready to compete.

Woodruff nevertheless views the opportunity as something worth pursuing rather than watching the postseason from the sidelines.

He acknowledged that the timeline is tight but emphasized the progress he has made, including getting stronger and recovering more consistently over the preceding two weeks.

The right-hander is approaching the comeback with the understanding that Milwaukee's postseason success will determine whether he has an opportunity to pitch again this year.

His return remains far from certain, but the recent bullpen sessions have given him a tangible goal as the Brewers continue their postseason pursuit. If Milwaukee reaches the World Series and Woodruff responds well to the next stages of his recovery, the veteran could have a chance to turn a long-shot comeback into a meaningful contribution.