The Brewers have had to weather myriad injuries early in the season, particularly among their pitchers. The good news for Milwaukee is that several key members of its pitching staff have begun Minor League rehab assignments as they work to return to the club, including right-hander Brandon Woodruff and lefties DL Hall and Aaron Ashby.
Woodruff, who hasn’t taken the mound in a Major League game since Sept. 23, 2023, underwent right shoulder surgery and then dealt with right ankle tendinitis during his first rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville earlier this month.
The 32-year-old, who is a two-time All-Star and finished fifth in National League Cy Young Award voting in 2021, began another rehab stint with Nashville against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the first game of a doubleheader on Wednesday.
Woodruff threw four scoreless innings (59 pitches) in the Sounds’ 3-0 win, yielding three hits while walking two and striking out two. He will likely make at least one more rehab appearance before being ready to come off the injured list.
Hall, who strained his left lat during Spring Training, made his second rehab appearance with Nashville, pitching the final three innings of Game 1 (since it was a doubleheader, each game was seven innings). He didn’t allow a run while giving up two hits, walking one and striking out six on 57 pitches.
Prior to his two outings with Nashville, Hall pitched five scoreless innings over two appearances with the Brewers’ Rookie-level Arizona Complex League team. He will likely serve as a long reliever when he comes off the IL.
Ashby (right oblique strain) will also probably be a long reliever when he’s ready to return to the Major League club. He tossed a scoreless inning of relief in the nightcap of Wednesday’s twin bill after starter Jacob Misiorowski, Milwaukee’s No. 4 prospect per MLB Pipeline (No. 71 overall), started and gave up one run over three innings.
The outing was Ashby’s fourth with Nashville during his rehab assignment, and overall, he’s given up one run over six innings.