Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff announced he will undergo anterior capsule surgery on his right shoulder, likely ending his 2026 season. The news came on the same day the team distributed Woodruff bobbleheads to fans. This is the same surgery he had after the 2023 season, which required a 20-month recovery.

Woodruff was pulled from a July 4 start against the Arizona Diamondbacks due to velocity drop and placed on the 15-day IL, then shifted to the 60-day IL on July 12. He has been working with Dr. Keith Meister, who performed his previous surgery. Woodruff missed all of 2024 but returned in 2025, going 7-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 12 starts before a lat strain ended his season. In 2026, he was 2-2 with a 2.98 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and 47 strikeouts in 45⅓ innings.

Manager Pat Murphy called it a "gut punch" for a pitching staff that entered Saturday with a 3.48 ERA, second in MLB behind the New York Yankees. Left-hander Kyle Harrison was also placed on the 15-day IL on July 11 with forearm tightness. To address the losses, the Brewers acquired Lance McCullers Jr. and Colton Gordon from the Houston Astros, trading outfield prospect Jadyn Fielder. McCullers was reinstated from the IL and will pitch out of the bullpen.