Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff goes back on the injured list with shoulder inflammation

PHOENIX (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff has gone back on the injured list with inflammation in his throwing shoulder, one day after a drop in velocity led to his early exit from a start against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Brewers recalled left-handed pitcher Drew Rom from Triple-A Nashville in a corresponding move Sunday.

Woodruff was removed from the Brewers’ 4-3 loss at Arizona on Saturday in the fourth inning after striking out Adrian Del Castillo on a 75.1-mph changeup. Although Woodruff struck out the only two batters he faced in the fourth, none of the pitches he threw that inning exceeded 87.3 mph.

This had been Woodruff’s third start since coming off the injured list after an absence of almost two months.

A drop in velocity also resulted in his first trip to the injured list this season. Woodruff also was facing the Diamondbacks on April 30 when he lasted just 1 1/3 innings because the average velocity of his fastball was just 85.4 mph.

“First inning was fine, then it was kind of a slow progression of discomfort,” Woodruff said after Saturday’s game. “It’s kind of the life of my shoulder. You hope that it will hold on until the end of the year and then you reassess and make some adjustments. But it’s kind of popped up on me here.”

Woodruff has pitched well when available. The two-time All-Star is 2-2 with a 2.98 ERA in nine starts this season, though he took the loss Saturday after allowing a three-run homer to Del Castillo in the first inning.

Shoulder issues have hindered Woodruff for a few years now.

He underwent shoulder surgery after the 2023 season and didn’t pitch at all in 2024. He returned midway through last season and went 7-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 12 starts, though a lat strain kept him from pitching in the playoffs.

“It gets a little frustrating dealing with this,” Woodruff said Saturday. “It kind of comes in waves.”

Rom had four relief outings in Milwaukee earlier this season with a 3.38 ERA. He has gone 3-1 with a 2.51 ERA and one save in 25 relief appearances at Nashville.

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