WASHINGTON (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff has gone on the injured list one day after a reduction in his velocity caused him to leave a game in the second inning.
The Brewers announced Friday that the two-time All-Star was going on the 15-day injured list due to right shoulder inflammation. The Brewers recalled right-hander Easton McGee from Triple-A Nashville before beginning a three-game series with the Washington Nationals.
None of the 21 pitches Woodruff threw exceeded 86.9 mph in the Brewers’ 13-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday. Woodruff’s average fastball velocity in that game was 85.4 mph, well below his season average of 92.5.
Woodruff had a 1-0 count on Nolan Arenado in the second inning when Brewers coaches and athletic training staff went to check on him. Woodruff left the game at that point.
“He doesn’t feel like he’s injured,” Murphy said after Thursday’s game. “He said, ‘My arm’s dead. Nothing’s coming out.’ I think we just have to be really cautious here.”
This represents the latest injury-related setback for the 33-year-old right-hander, whose fastball averaged about 96 mph as recently as 2023.
Woodruff had a lat strain that prevented him from pitching in the postseason during Milwaukee’s run to the NL Championship Series last year. That injury didn’t prevent him from starting this season on time.
He underwent shoulder surgery after the 2023 season and didn’t pitch at all in 2024, but he returned midway through last season and went 7-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 12 starts.
Woodruff is 2-1 with a 3.60 ERA in six starts this year. Woodruff has spent his entire career with Milwaukee, and he accepted a $22,025,000 qualifying offer to stay with the Brewers this season rather than becoming a free agent.
McGee, 28, has pitched one scoreless inning for Milwaukee this season. He has gone 3-1 with a 6.39 ERA in eight games with Nashville.
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