Milwaukee Brewers’ right-handed pitcher Brandon Woodruff will begin a rehab assignment on Saturday with the Nashville Sounds, Milwaukee’s Triple-A affiliate. This is a significant milestone as Woodruff makes his way back to the rotation after a prolonged absence. He has not pitched in a major league game since September 23, 2023, due to shoulder surgery aimed at repairing a torn capsule.

Woodruff, 32, had a very successful career prior to this injury. Over seven seasons, all spent with the Brewers organization, he recorded a 3.10 ERA (137 ERA+) and a 4.48 strikeout-to-walk ratio. His contributions to the team are valued at an estimated 16.7 Wins Above Replacement, a figure calculated by Baseball Reference. Furthermore, he was selected as an All-Star twice and received a fifth-place finish in the 2021 National League Cy Young Award voting.

Due to MLB regulations, Woodruff (along with all pitchers) is permitted a maximum of 30 days to complete his rehab assignment. Position players, on the other hand, are given up to 20 days for their assignments. Therefore, he is expected to rejoin the Brewers’ rotation in just a few weeks.

This news is promising for a Brewers team currently lacking starting options, including Aaron Ashby, Nestor Cortes, DL Hall, Tobias Myers, Robert Gasser, and Aaron Civale (who recently faced a setback during his recovery from a hamstring injury). As a result, the Brewers had to acquire Quinn Priester and promote Jose Quintana from a one-year contract signed in March. Additionally, rookie Chad Patrick has been called upon to start in the major leagues for the first time.

Despite these challenges, the Brewers finished the day with an 8-6 record, placing them first in the National League Central. They have bounced back with an impressive 8-2 record after starting the season at 0-4. This Saturday, the team will aim for their fourth consecutive series victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks and their former star pitcher Corbin Burnes.