ARLINGTON, Texas – It was a long road back for Brandon Woodruff, but on July 6, the former Mississippi State star took the mound for Milwaukee for the first time since September 2023. The ex-Bulldog allowed two hits and one run in six innings with eight strikeouts to earn the win in his season debut at Miami.

Woodruff’s previous start had been in late September 2023, weeks before having right shoulder surgery.

“I knew there was a light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “I just had to be patient. That was a big thing I had to learn. Definitely some hard times for sure. Every day is a learning experience in this process. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned when to push it, when to dial it back a little bit. It’s been fun just to be able to pitch again. Different perspective on playing baseball for sure.”

Woodruff, a Wheeler native, would have been able to toe a big-league rubber again sooner had it not been for a couple of bumps in the road during his rehab – right ankle tendonitis and having a batted ball graze his elbow.

Since returning to action, Woodruff has a 6-2 record and 3.32 ERA in 11 starts.

“I knew it was going to take me roughly two years or longer to get my stuff back. My goal for this year was just to be able to flash some stuff of old,” Woodruff said. “I’ve done that here and there, but I’ve also learned how to pitch at lower velocities. I quickly learned that command takes over velocity all day and every day. That’s been a big learning experience. You never want to get hit or hurt, but that gave me a little extra time to reset myself because the biggest thing was going to be managing innings and workload this year. It’s been a crazy year in that sense for sure.”

And even though he didn’t make his first big-league start of 2025 until July, Woodruff has still been around the team and has especially enjoyed seeing the rapid ascension of young starter Jacob Misiorowski, who didn’t allow a hit in his first 11 innings as a big leaguer after debuting in June and later pitched in the 2025 MLB All-Star Game.

“This level, it’s hard,” Woodruff said. “Preparation’s a big thing, so making sure you’re prepared and understanding what it takes to be a Major League starter and do it consistently, it’s a tough deal, but he’s obviously got unbelievable stuff. It’s been fun to watch. He’ll keep learning, growing, and getting better.”

Veterans like Woodruff have been an invaluable resource for young pitchers like Misiorowski who still have questions about what it takes to become a successful big-league hurler.

“It (picking his brain) has been awesome. You have little questions,” Misiorowski said. “It might even be something in the clubhouse. You go to Woo and he answers everything. It’s awesome, (stuff about) how to be a big-leaguer. If you’re starting a day game, then the night before you go home. I didn’t know that. Woo explained that to me. Stuff like that. It’s been fun.”

And with a roster among the youngest in MLB, hearing one of his few veterans has taken a younger teammate under his wing is great news for second-year Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy.

“We don’t have very many veterans, but we’re talking about some good ones. You’re talking about Woody has that (big-league experience), he can talk to you about that,” Murphy said. “I wouldn’t go to Woody for real estate advice, but maybe he could do some real estate. Woody’s been great with our young guys in leading by example or by words. But you can’t just listen, you got to listen, hear it, and then you got to implement it and become aware of how that adjustment happens.”

Strong connection

Woodruff made his big-league debut in August 2017, making him the longest tenured member of the Brewers. Before being named manager prior to last season, Murphy had been Milwaukee’s bench coach since 2015.

“I’ve been with Woody a long time from the first day in the big leagues, and I really value our friendship,” Murphy said. “We have a little game we play with each other, the chicken and the pig. I call him chicken every day except on the days he pitches. Then, I call him pig.”

“He’s great,” Woodruff said of Murphy. “I’ve been around Murph a long time. He’s seen me as a rookie in the minor leagues and then in my whole big-league career. He’s a treat. He holds us accountable and with a lot of young guys on the team, it’s good. He’s got an edge about him, which is good as a manager. He’s been fun to play for. He obviously treats the players well and he’s a player-first manager, that’s always good.”

Murphy has given many players unique nicknames, calling Sal Frelick “Yard Sale” because he fouls balls off every part of his body and dubbing Misiorowski “Forrest Gump,” but thus far, Woodruff hasn’t gotten a new moniker.

“He’s got a nickname for everybody,” Woodruff said. “I don’t know if he really has one for me. I try to not do something stupid where he has one for me.”

And even though the Brewers were playing on Sept. 6, Woodruff still got to see the MSU football team upset No. 12 Arizona State in Starkville.

“I think they’ll take that ($500,000 fine for storming the field) any day of the week,” he said. “(Jeff) Lebby, he’s going to be fantastic. It was pretty cool to see. We needed a big win like that to boost us a little bit. To do it at home and in front of all the cowbells, it’s a fun place to go watch a football game for sure.”

Stephen Hunt is a freelance writer based in Frisco, Texas.

Posted in Professional Sports

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