Start beer Brandon Woodruff had an MRI in his right shoulder and remained out of action until the doctors charted the way forward, manager Craig Counsellor forward to Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The team placed Woodruff on IL.
Initially there was hope that it was only a short time on IL and that has not been ruled out, but it is clear that the uncertainty about the best course of action is a concern. Woodruff has had another strong start to the season, dropping just one earned run in two starts and 11 innings of the third. An injury of any length would be a blow to the Brewers, who have had a strong start to the season.
Woodruff has become one of the game’s better starting pitchers in recent years, aggregating an ERA of 2.97 in 94 starts since the 2019 season, though he missed a while. He sprained his high ankle last year, but he has never missed time in the major leagues because of an arm-related injury.
Here are a few more notes:
- Sonja Chen of MLB.com forward an update from Mets manager Buck Showalter on the injured starter Justin Verlander. The veteran is scheduled for a bullfight in Florida, and then if all goes well, he’ll throw to the other side before facing the direct hitters. Once that’s done, he could be ready to make his Mets debut. Verlander hit the shelves after suffering a low-grade strain in the gluteal core at the end of a spring workout. While there’s still no firm timetable for his return, it looks like Mets fans won’t have to wait too long to see their out-of-season recruiting star debut. . 40-year-old Verlander signed a two-year, $86.67 million deal with the Mets this winter after making 28 1.75 ERA ball starts for the Astros last year.
- John Denton of MLB.com tweets That former Cardinal Adam Wainwright threw a 50-degree simulation before last night’s game with the Pirates at Busch Stadium. Wainwright is trying to bounce back from a groin injury he suffered during spring training. It’s not entirely clear what Wainwright’s next step is, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see him start rehab at some point. The 41-year-old has remained steady in the Cardinals rotation, making 32 starts each of the past two seasons and achieving a combined 3.37 ERA. Jake Woodward got off to a strong start against the Pirates last night, but he looks to be the one most likely to be knocked out of the rotation when Wainwright returns.
