Woodruff, the longest-tenured Brewer, receives qualifying offer

MILWAUKEE -- Three days after he declined his mutual option, the Brewers extended a qualifying offer to Brandon Woodruff on Thursday in a move that could extend the right-hander’s run as the organization’s longest-tenured player or net the team a premium Draft pick if he moves on.

The qualifying offer for 2026 is $22.025 million. Woodruff, who was drafted by the Brewers in 2014 and made his Major League debut in ‘17, can either accept the offer and return to the Brewers at that salary on the one-year deal, or decline it and seek more as a free agent.

Woodruff and other Major League players who were extended qualifying offers have until Nov. 18 to decide. Since the qualifying offer system was implemented in 2012, only 14 players have accepted.

“We love Woody,” Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said. “So for us, this is just step one in the process.”

This call was more complicated than most qualifying offers, for a couple of reasons.

One is health. Woodruff underwent shoulder surgery in late 2023 that sidelined him for all of ‘24 and the start of ‘25. When he rejoined the Brewers’ rotation in July, he had less velocity than before but pitched as well as ever, going 7-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 12 starts before being derailed by a lat muscle strain behind his surgically-repaired shoulder. The injury sidelined him for the remainder of the regular season and each of the Brewers’ two postseason rounds, and would have kept him sidelined for the World Series had Milwaukee managed to get past the Dodgers in the NLCS.

He said at season’s end that the doctors project a full recovery in plenty of time for 2026, but $22 million and change is a significant gamble for a team like the Brewers.

On top of that, the Brewers already owe Woodruff a $10 million buyout after he declined his half of his $20 million mutual option for 2026. So if he accepts the qualifying offer, he’ll effectively make north of $32 million for one season.

But that was only a minor factor in the qualifying offer decision because of baseball’s accounting practices. In reality, the Brewers already had Woodruff’s $10 million buyout baked into their costs for 2025.

And one other note: Extending a qualifying offer does not preclude a club from trading a player who accepts.

Whatever the cost, the Brewers decided the potential reward in the Draft was worth it. As a revenue-sharing recipient, the Brewers would receive a compensation pick as high as a spot between the end of the first round and the start of Competitive Balance Round A if Woodruff declines the qualifying offer and signs elsewhere for $50 million or more. If he signs for less than $50 million, the compensation pick comes after Competitive Balance Round B.

For example, the Brewers extended a qualifying offer to Willy Adames last year and he declined, as expected. When he signed with the Giants for $182 million over seven years, the Brewers received the No. 33 overall Draft pick as compensation. They ultimately traded that pick to the Red Sox in the Quinn Priester deal.

But even if Woodruff declines, then signs for less than $50 million, the Brewers would get a premium selection. Last year, Compensation Round B concluded with the 74th overall pick.

Woodruff is represented by longtime agent Bo McKinnis.

“If we’re able to keep him here, we knew today was a step in the process we’d have to cross,” Arnold said. “We love Woody and we’d be thrilled to have him back. We’re just at the start of the process.”