MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee pitcher Brandon Woodruff isn’t giving up hope on the long-shot possibility he could return from his shoulder injury in time to pitch in the World Series if the Brewers advance that far.
uncertain
Brewers → give → Series
The two-time All-Star last pitched on July 4 and wasn’t included on the Brewers’ roster for their NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres.
asserted
Star → pitch → Padres
Woodruff conceded he wouldn’t be ready in time for a potential NL Championship Series that would begin next weekend, but he’s holding out hope of being ready if the Brewers earn their first World Series berth since 1982.
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Brewers → concede → 1982
“How many times do you get a chance to pitch in the World Series?” Woodruff said Saturday while sitting alongside teammate Christian Yelich at a news conference before the NLDS opener.
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Woodruff → get → opener
“Yeli has been playing a long time.
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Yeli → play → ?
We’ve never gotten to do it.
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We → get → it
It may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I understand the repercussions that could come with that.
uncertain
that → understand → that
But I’m at a point where I’m OK with it.
asserted
I → ’m → it
But he learned in August that his injury wouldn’t require an operation, opening up a remote possibility he could be ready for the postseason.
uncertain
he → learn → postseason
“I’m progressing, getting to a point where I can get off the mound here pretty soon,” Woodruff said.
asserted
Woodruff → progress → mound
“Last few throwing progressions or times out, throwing has been pretty good.
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throwing → throw → ?
Just trying to get to a spot where I’m comfortable and can get off the mound.
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I → try → mound
And last few, I’ve been doing pretty good.”
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I → do → few
Woodruff has spent his entire big league career with the Brewers, and his 3.10 ERA is the franchise best for pitchers with 500 or more innings for Milwaukee.
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ERA → spend → Milwaukee
A shoulder injury prevented him from pitching in the 2023 playoffs and caused him to have anterior capsule surgery later that year.
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him → prevent → surgery
Woodruff didn’t pitch again until July 2025, and a lat strain kept him out of that postseason.
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strain → pitch → postseason
Teammates say his contributions go well beyond those numbers.
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contributions → say → numbers
“He’s meant everything to this club, especially to a guy like myself,” Game 2 starter Logan Henderson said.
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Henderson → mean → myself
“You wouldn’t know that he’s hurt by the way he carries himself in the clubhouse and in the dugout.
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he → know → dugout
I’ve learned so much from him this year, especially the last few months.
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I → learn → him
He works his tail off every single day.
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He → work → tail
I know he’s trying to get back right now.
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he → know → ?
So he makes our team better, even when he’s not pitching.”
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he → make → ?
Woodruff went on the injured list in early May after a reduction in his velocity caused him to leave a game in the second inning.
uncertain
him → go → inning
He returned in late June and he dealt with another velocity dip during a July 4 start at Arizona and hasn’t pitched since.
“He’s earned so much respect because most of these guys don’t know the old Woody, they don’t know the guy that stood there pumping high 90s and attacking,” manager Pat Murphy said.
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Murphy → return → 90s
But they know what they’ve seen when he’s pitched for us at 92 like he’s got 99 and very effective.
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he → know → 99
“That’s the beauty of what Woody has done.
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Woody → ’ → what
He’s been super effective with whatever’s coming up, and they see that and they (have) respect for it.
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they → come → it
So his words matter in there.”
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words → matter → ?
Although the Brewers are making their eighth playoff appearance in nine years, Woodruff’s last postseason appearance came back in 2021.
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appearance → make → 2021
“Things still have to go right for me leading up to this,” Woodruff said.
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Woodruff → have → this
“The team has to play great.
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team → have → ?
We’ve got to put ourselves in that position.
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We → get → position
But I’m at least going through the proper steps to try to give myself an opportunity.
asserted
I → go → opportunity
And obviously the clock’s ticking here with the amount of days.
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clock → tick → days
“But I always have a belief that I can get guys out at any moment, and I think that will never leave me.”
asserted
that → have → me
The Aporia
