Brandon Woodruff, a guy who on July 4th thought his career might be over, is now officially on track to pitch in the World Series for the Brewers. It’s a comeback story for the ages, seriously. Just a few months ago, everyone, including Woodruff himself, figured that July 4th pitch was the last one he’d throw in 2026, maybe ever. Doctors were convinced he needed surgery, again, to fix his shoulder capsule. We’re talking two major shoulder surgeries in just over three years, which would have been absolutely devastating. But then, a wild twist.
The Miracle Healing Nobody Saw Coming
Woodruff made a massive call: he held off on surgery. That decision led to a four-week follow-up in August, where doctors checked if surgery was truly unavoidable. And get this: his shoulder was healing way faster and better than anyone expected. Not only did he not need surgery, but he got the green light to start a throwing program! The window to return was always going to be ridiculously tight. He needed a five-week throwing progression just to get his arm back up to speed before he could even step on a mound. That alone took him to the end of the regular season. Then, it was about getting cleared for bullpen sessions and eventually facing live hitters. There was zero margin for error. Any hiccup, any delay, and his postseason hopes would be totally dashed. Given his history of setbacks from previous shoulder injuries, the odds felt incredibly slim.
Against All Odds, He’s Here
But here we are! Woodruff told reporters before the NLDS that the absolute earliest he could possibly make it back was the World Series, if the Brewers got there. And guess what? The Brewers punched their ticket, and Woodruff has stayed perfectly on time and on schedule. During the NLCS clinching celebration, he told Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “it’s gonna be hard to keep me off that roster.” He even threw a high-intensity 31-pitch bullpen session in Los Angeles, and according to Woodruff, his stuff looked good. This whole journey felt like it needed an absolute perfect storm of circumstances to bring Woodruff back in 2026, and honestly, that storm has rolled in.
He’s made it through without a single setback in his recovery, the Brewers are in the World Series, and there are actually available spots on the pitching staff. To put it in perspective, manager Pat Murphy hasn’t even called on Kyle Harrison or Chad Patrick throughout the postseason. Shane Drohan started Game 4 of the NLCS but barely lasted an inning. Not long ago, it was tough to imagine Harrison and Patrick *not* being key parts of this staff in the postseason. Now? It’s hard to see where they even fit, especially with Woodruff back in the picture.
The World Series stage is set, and Brandon Woodruff is ready to bring the heat. His comeback is straight-up movie material, and it’s going to be incredible to watch.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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