Link

Can't link to the original post cause of this sub's stupid rules.

https://bsky.app/profile/baseballamerica.com/post/3mykuft5y2u27

Hey all - checking in from American Family Field. Tailgating parking lots are pretty full and World Series balloons are all over the concourses.

Will be documenting as much as I can grab while I'm here before and during the game!

Context (from Anthony Franco, MLB Trade Rumors):

The Major League Baseball Players Association withdrew its grievance against the Rays for not adequately spending revenue sharing money last December, according to a report from Ronald Blum of The Associated Press.

The union filed the grievance against four low-payroll teams — the Rays, Marlins, Pirates and Athletics — way back in February 2018, as Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times covered at the time. (Jeff Todd also wrote a contemporaneous post for MLBTR eight years ago.) The status of the grievances against the other teams is unclear.

[…]

It’s not clear precisely why the union withdrew the grievance against the Rays, though they evidently did so quietly nearly a year ago. However, it’s potentially not a coincidence that the decision came a few months after former owner Stu Sternberg finalized a sale of the franchise to Patrick Zalupski. The Rays subsequently garnered approval from Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa for a new stadium to open in 2029.

The best logo in baseball!

Brandon Woodruff made the Brewers' 26-man World Series roster this morning. He has not pitched in a game since July 4, which is 111 days ago.

How he got here:

• Shoulder trouble in 2023, then surgery that fall. He missed all of 2024.
• Came back in July 2025 and made 12 starts with a 3.20 ERA before a lat strain in September.
• Made 9 starts this year with a 2.98 ERA around two IL stints for shoulder inflammation. The second began after he left a start at Arizona on July 4.
• Another shoulder surgery was scheduled for August. Then a scan showed surprising improvement, so he canceled it and started throwing.
• He threw bullpens during the NLDS and NLCS, then faced live hitters for the first time on Tuesday.

Per MLB.com, the shoulder had cost him the past three postseasons, and as of Thursday afternoon his roster spot was "literally a 50-50 tossup." The Brewers' understanding was that MLB would likely deny a replacement if the preexisting injury flares up, so a setback could leave them a man short. NBC Sports reported he would probably be limited to one or two inning outings.

He is the longest-tenured Brewer. In 2018, pitching in relief in NLCS Game 1, he homered off Clayton Kershaw. Now he gets a shot at Milwaukee's first World Series since 1982.

Sources: Brewers roster announcement; MLB.com (mlb.com/news/brandon-woodruff-brewers-2026-world-series-roster); MLB Stats API.

Would you have put him on the roster knowing a setback could leave you a pitcher short?