Brewers ace Brandon Woodruff exits start early in latest injury concern: ‘Felt kind of dead’
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff exited his start against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the second inning due to a significant drop in fastball velocity, raising new injury concerns. Despite reporting no pain, Woodruff described feeling 'kind of dead,' prompting the team to remove him as a precaution. The move underscores ongoing health issues for Woodruff, who has struggled to stay on the mound over the past two seasons.
- ▪Brandon Woodruff left his April 30, 2026 start against the Diamondbacks in the second inning after his fastball velocity dropped to the mid-80s, well below his season average of 92.5 mph.
- ▪Woodruff reported no pain but said he 'felt kind of dead' and couldn't generate normal power on his pitches.
- ▪The two-time All-Star missed all of 2024 due to shoulder surgery and only made 12 starts in 2025 before a lat strain ended his season.
- ▪Brewers manager Pat Murphy emphasized the team would not risk long-term injury by pushing Woodruff to continue.
- ▪Woodruff entered the game with a 2-1 record, 3.77 ERA, and 23 strikeouts in 28.1 innings over five starts.
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MLB Brewers ace Brandon Woodruff exits start early in latest injury concern: ‘Felt kind of dead’ By Mark Suleymanov Published April 30, 2026, 4:36 p.m. ET Milwaukee Brewers right-handed pitcher Brandon Woodruff can’t shake the injury bug. The two-time All-Star left his Thursday afternoon start against the Diamondbacks in the second inning after a concerning drop in his fastball velocity. Woodruff, whose heater has averaged 92.5 mph this season, per Baseball Savant, did not throw a fastball above 86.9 mph during his 21-pitch outing Thursday.
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