On Tuesday night, Milwaukee Brewers fans saw a moment that will go down in franchise history.

Brandon Woodruff, months removed from being told that his season was over, defied the odds and not only just pitched again for the club in 2026, but did so in a World Series game. This is no small feat.

Think back to July. Woodruff's season was over. He landed on the Injured List and it was announced that he was dealing with an anterior shoulder capsule injury. Surgery to repair an anterior shoulder capsule injury is what ended his 2023 season early and forced him to miss the entire 2024 season. Plus, he only pitched in 12 games in 2025. When it was announced that Woodruff needed surgery again, fans jumped to the worst. At the time, it wasn't clear if he would ever pitch in a Brewers uniform again.

But as he has throughout his career, he defied the odds. In late August, it was announced that Woodruff didn't need surgery after all and he immediately got to work throwing with a slim hope of returning if the Brewers could make it all the way to the World Series. To many, that would be impossible. But for Woodruff. This is a guy who has dealt with adversity throughout his career and has found a way through every time. He did it.

Brandon Woodruff's Storybook Night

He pitched one inning on Monday night. The stats don't matter. The fact that he was able to take the hill again with the word "Milwaukee" across his chest and get the final out of a World Series game is enough. It's actually more than enough. It's special.

It's important to note all of the struggles that he went through earlier in the season to fully grasp what he did on Monday night. When surgery was announced, it wasn't something small. The 2026 season was over and very likely the 2027 season as well, at the very least. Instead, he gave Milwaukee fans something they will never forget.

There are few who represent Milwaukee better than Woodruff. He was drafted out of Mississippi State in the 11th round of the 2014 MLB Draft and eventually made his big league debut in 2017. The Brewers are the only team he has ever known. When he arrived, the Brewers weren't the perennial contender they are now. If you have been following along with the team, you already know this. Woodruff and Christian Yelich played a massive role in changing the culture of the organization. Woodruff debuted in 2017. Yelich came to town in 2018. Since the duo came together, Milwaukee has made the playoffs in eight of nine seasons, won six National League Central titles and is now one win away from winning the World Series.

Woodruff's first season in 2017 was the final year of a six-year run in while Milwaukee missed the playoffs every season. Little did the fanbase know at the time that it was also the start of the golden age of Brewers baseball. On Monday, a hero in the history of Brewers baseball did the unthinkable, like the idea of winning a World Series once was. On Tuesday, Milwaukee can finish the job.