Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff has accepted the team's qualifying offer of $22.025 million for the 2026 season. The 32-year-old right-hander, returning after shoulder surgery and a lat strain, expressed relief and excitement about staying with the organization. Brewers president Matt Arnold called the retention thrilling.
Brandon Woodruff, the last remaining player from the 2017 Milwaukee Brewers team that kicked off the franchise's longest stretch of regular-season success, has decided to stay put. After navigating a challenging period that included a right shoulder surgery recovery, a right lat strain ending his season, and the emotional highs and lows of the playoffs—where the Brewers defeated the Cubs in the NLDS before falling to the Dodgers in the NLCS—Woodruff accepted the qualifying offer.
The decision came after declining his half of a mutual option, entering a brief free agency window with a tight 12-day deadline to evaluate the market. Represented by agent Bo McKinnis, Woodruff found the choice straightforward. “It was a matter of receiving the qualifying offer and then having 12 days to really try to break down the market and see what was out there,” Woodruff said. “For me, it became clear pretty early on. It was an easy decision to take the qualifying offer, which I was extremely happy to do, and come back to somewhere I’m extremely comfortable. I’m pumped up.”
Had he declined, signing with another team would have cost that club draft picks, with Milwaukee gaining compensation. Woodruff viewed the offer as a strong signal of the team's commitment. “Come on, that’s a large [salary] number and it’s a place where I’m comfortable and I love,” he said. “Also, I took it as they really wanted me here. I know the ramifications of offering one year and $22 [million] to a pitcher in the Brewers organization. That has never happened, so I don’t take that lightly.”
Both sides are optimistic about his health. Two years post-surgery, Woodruff reports feeling great and has started his offseason workouts, planning to resume throwing soon. In 12 starts this season, he posted a 3.20 ERA despite reduced velocity. “I’m two years post-surgery, and the surgery isn’t really a thought,” he said. Reflecting on free agency, Woodruff added, “As a player, you dream of getting to free agency. And let me tell you what -- free agency is just a fancy word for saying you don’t have a job. It’s not the same for everybody. I’m lucky and blessed to be able to come back to Milwaukee. I think that frees me up to just go play baseball.”