The Milwaukee Brewers finalized a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday, acquiring right-handed pitcher Jake Woodford in exchange for minor league right-hander K.C. Hunt and cash. The move adds pitching depth ahead of Opening Day. Woodford, a 29-year-old veteran, brings experience from multiple teams.
Milwaukee cleared a spot on its 40-man roster by transferring outfielder Akil Baddoo to the 60-day injured list. Woodford had an upward mobility clause in his minor league contract with the Rays that allowed the deal to proceed, providing him a major league opportunity in Milwaukee. Although out of options, he enters a 72-hour grace period post-trade, meaning the Brewers could open Thursday without him and option another arm later to activate him fresh for Game 2 if desired. Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold praised Woodford's versatility. “He’s pitched in a number of different roles and been a veteran in the league for a while,” Arnold said. “We have some history with him. He’s an interesting arm that can play a valuable role in a number of different spots in our bullpen, or potentially even at the front of games.” Woodford spent his first four MLB seasons from 2020 to 2023 with the St. Louis Cardinals, posting a 4.29 ERA over 80 appearances including 18 starts. In 2025, he briefly appeared in the Chicago Cubs' system before release in July, then pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks with a 6.44 ERA in 22 relief outings. The Rays signed him as a non-roster invitee in November 2025 and he impressed in spring training, allowing one run on four hits over 7 1/3 innings in seven appearances. The Brewers view him as a multi-inning, platoon-neutral option amid a young rotation and lefty-heavy bullpen. Manager Pat Murphy lauded the front office: “The front office has done an incredible job of always being mindful and on-point when it comes to trying to make an upgrade in some way. We’ve learned to trust that.” K.C. Hunt, 25, joined Milwaukee as an undrafted free agent in 2023 after Mississippi State. Named co-minor league pitcher of the year in 2024 with a 2.03 ERA, he posted a 4.45 ERA over 121 1/3 innings at Double-A Biloxi last season. Arnold noted, “You have to give up something to get something.” Final 26-man rosters are due Wednesday at 11 a.m. CT.
