The Milwaukee Brewers made one of the most interesting roster calls of the postseason, placing veteran pitcher Brandon Woodruff on their 26-player World Series roster ahead of Game 1 against the Tampa Bay Rays in Milwaukee. Woodruff, the longest-tenured player on the team, hasn’t pitched since July 4 because of a right shoulder injury that was expected to require season-ending surgery. The procedure turned out to be unnecessary, and now the Brewers are betting the shoulder holds up on baseball’s biggest stage.
The move carried real risk. Rosters were locked Friday before the first pitch, and under the rules, Milwaukee could not replace Woodruff if the shoulder issue resurfaces during the series. He takes the place of Chad Patrick on the 13-man pitching staff. Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold clearly believes the good version of Woodruff is someone any team would want in October, which is exactly why the club made the call.
Tampa Bay made its own adjustment, adding left-hander Garrett Cleavinger in place of right-hander Brody Hopkins. For Suncoast baseball fans, the series offers a fun preview of the kind of high-stakes decisions teams make when a title is on the line, and a reminder that spring training isn’t as far away as it feels. Would you have taken the gamble on Woodruff, or played it safe? Let us know in the comments.
