2023-11-18 09:30:37
MILWAUKEE – Brandon Woodruff, the right-hander who led the wave that has carried the Brewers through an unprecedented stretch of regular-season success, became a free agent when the team waived him on Friday. The player of Mexican blood Rowdy Téllez too.
Brewers officials made the decision reluctantly, on a day when teams across MLB had to commit to moving forward with the arbitration process with their eligible players, or release them.
For Woodruff, it marked the end – at least for now – of a tenure that saw him beat the odds by transforming himself from an 11th-round draft pick in 2014 into a two-time All-Star whose 3.10 ERA is the best in the league. history for a Brewers pitcher with 500 or more innings, and whose electrifying home run off Clayton Kershaw in Game 1 of the 2018 NLCS remains a Top 10 moment in franchise history.
With just one year of control remaining in 2024, and with Woodruff unlikely to pitch much or at all after right shoulder surgery last month, the Brewers found themselves in a painful position with their longtime ace as he The Friday bidding deadline was approaching.
“It was a very tough decision,” GM Matt Arnold said after breaking the news to Woodruff. «It was hard, it was emotional. But he’s been amazing for us in so many ways, and I still think there’s a chance he could be part of our team in the future. But yeah, it’s certainly a tough day every time you have to give news to someone who means a lot to your franchise.”
The Brewers also released the player of Mexican blood, 1B Rowdy Téllez, who was their home run leader in 2022 but suffered an injury and a bad streak in 2023.
Téllez was expected to enter a process that would reward him with a salary close to US$6 million. Instead he joins Woodruff in free agency.
Fuente: The majors
#Brandon #Woodruff #free #agent