It certainly sounds like the Milwaukee Brewers want to have Brandon Woodruff in the starting rotation in 2026.
When the Brewers announced that Woodruff’s mutual option had been turned down, they specified that it was turned down by the ace and not the organization. After that, the Brewers offered Woodruff the qualifying offer of just over $22 million, despite already owing him a $10 million buyout from the mutual option.
The decision in itself was somewhat surprising because of the price tag, but it’s clear Milwaukee wants him back. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal even called the qualifying offer decision “stunning,” but quoted Brewers general manager Matt Arnold saying that the team is “focused” on bringing Woodruff back.
“The Milwaukee Brewers’ decision to extend right-hander Brandon Woodruff a one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer was stunning for a low-revenue team that generally resists paying players big money,” Rosenthal said. “Only one player, outfielder Christian Yelich, has received a higher annual salary as a Brewer, $26 million per year from 2022 through ‘28. Woodruff, who turns 33 in February, has made only 12 starts the past two seasons coming off shoulder surgery and missed the postseason due to a right lat strain that was unrelated to his prior injury. But the market for starting pitching might be so robust, he still might reject the Brewers’ offer…
The Brewers clearly want Brandon Woodruff back