Brandon Woodruff DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) said he's a full participant as spring training gets underway this week and hasn't had any setbacks after missing all of last season. Woodruff's next big milestone will be this Friday when he faces hitters for the first time since having surgery to fix the anterior capsule in his right shoulder in October of 2023. Given all the time Woodruff missed in 2024, the Brewers will slowly build up the 32-year-old veteran this spring, and the expectation is that he'll begin the 2025 regular season on the injured list as a precaution. Before his shoulder injury, Woodruff was one of the best pitchers in baseball on a yearly basis, but his shoulder injury and the possibility that he faces workload restrictions this year make him much more risky in fantasy. However, the fact that he's feeling good this spring should be music to the Brewers' ears.

Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy said that right-hander Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) isn't expected to be 100 percent for the start of spring training after having serious right-shoulder surgery in October of 2023 to fix his anterior capsule. The 31-year-old didn't pitch at all in 2024 and had his rehab paused last August because he wasn't progressing as the team had hoped. Murphy added that outfielder Christian Yelich, who had back surgery last year, will probably be ahead of Woodruff this spring in terms of being game-ready. We should know more about Woodruff's timetable for a return once he starts ramping up at camp, but fantasy managers definitely shouldn't be surprised if he's not ready for Opening Day. Woodruff has an excellent track record of being a fantasy ace when healthy, but he's a big question mark coming off major shoulder surgery and is ranked as the No. 71 fantasy starting pitcher by RotoBaller.

Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) is throwing bullpens twice a week in Mississippi as part of his normal offseason progression. His arm is feeling great and he's hoping to be ready to go for Opening Day in 2025, although there is no official timeline for his return following right-shoulder surgery. Having Woodruff ready for Opening Day would be big news for Milwaukee's starting rotation after he went 46-26 with a 3.10 ERA over parts of seven seasons with the team from 2017-23, with two All-Star appearances and a top-five finish in National League Cy Young voting in 2021. The 31-year-old had surgery in October of 2023 to fix the anterior capsule in his right shoulder. It's positive news he's in a normal offseason progression, but we should have a better idea on his timetable once he starts facing live hitters. Woodruff has been a fantasy ace in the past, but it remains to be seen if he can return to that form in 2025 while potentially dealing with workload restrictions after missing all of 2024.

Milwaukee Brewers general manager Matt Arnold left some doubt as to whether right-hander Brandon Woodruff (shoulder) will be ready to be in the club's Opening Day starting rotation in 2025. "It's hard to say at the moment (whether he will be in the rotation to open the season). I think certainly, we have expectations that he'll be part of our rotation. We also want to be cautious with him and his health," Arnold said. Woodruff had surgery in October of 2023 to fix the anterior capsule in his right shoulder. The 31-year-old started throwing in late August off a mound, but Milwaukee isn't going to rush Woodruff, even if that means him opening the year on the injured list. The two-time All-Star only made 11 starts in 2023 but was electric when on the mound, sporting a 2.28 ERA and 0.82 WHIP with 74 K's and 15 walks in 67 innings. It's fair to wonder if he can recapture his pre-injury form while also potentially having his innings limited early in the season.

Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff (shoulder), who won't pitch in the majors this year after undergoing shoulder surgery last October, will be a notable addition to the team's traveling party this weekend in Cincinnati and will throw another bullpen after throwing his first bullpen session of 15 pitches this Tuesday at American Family Field before the series opener against the San Francisco Giants. His next session is scheduled for Friday or Saturday at Great American Ball Park, depending on the weather. These are early days in Woodruff's recovery as he makes a bid to return to the form that produced a 3.10 ERA over his first seven seasons in Milwaukee. The 31-year-old is signed for 2025 and has a mutual option for 2026. If healthy next year, he'll be rostered in all fantasy formats.