Woodruff keeps focus in a season askew

The bizarre nature of the 2020 season has affected pitchers throughout the league in different ways, with varying results. Some are struggling with the interruptions that forced teams to stop and restart the training season, while others seem to have fallen into a routine without any consternation.

Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff, who will start the series finale Sunday against the Reds at 1:10 p.m. CT on MLB.TV, has fit into the latter category. The 27-year-old has allowed four runs over 17 1/3 innings over three starts, and he recently strung together 13 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings, a streak that lasted until halfway through his most recent outing against the White Sox.

The key seems to be figuring out a routine -- even if it’s different from what it would be in a normal year -- and sticking to that.

“Having some games come up here and just being on a good schedule and a good routine is super important, just get back into the swing of things,” said Woodruff, who is 9-0 in his last 14 starts at Miller Park. “It's crazy -- this will be my fourth start, and I feel like it's kind of flown by already. You start getting in the routine and get going, and next thing you know, you look up and we’re close to being a good portion of the way through the season.”

Being adaptable is key in this season disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Woodruff seems to have made the transition seamlessly. The biggest adjustment he has made is working in front of empty seats. Like most players, he misses the fans.

“That's probably the biggest adjustment for a lot of guys,” he said. “It's tough. Some of these games when you may not have your best stuff, or for hitters, if they're not as locked in, you can feed off the crowd so much.”

Braun rehab update
Ryan Braun will not be activated from the injured list when he is eligible on Sunday, but he continues to make progress as he works his way back from a right index finger infection.

Braun was able to hit on the field Saturday before the Brewers' game against the Reds. Manager Craig Counsell wants Braun to see live pitching before he returns to the lineup. This is not as easy as it used to be, with alternate training sites having taken the place of regular Minor League seasons.

“I think he’s missed enough time here, combined with the end of Summer Camp and things like that, that he just hasn't gotten any at-bats against pitching,” Counsell said. “We're going to have to get him some at-bats at some point.”

Everyday Eric?
Reliever Eric Yardley may not be the most recognizable player on the Brewers’ roster, but in the early stages of the season, the right-handed sidearmer has made a good impression on his teammates and manager.

Yardley, claimed off waivers from San Diego last offseason, entered Saturday with six appearances, the most of any Brewers pitcher. And those appearances were high quality -- he allowed one unearned run across 5 2/3 innings. Opponents batted .190 against him.

Though it’s a small sample size, Yardley has increased his ground-ball rate significantly, from 65.9 percent in 2019 to 82.4 percent this year, according to Statcast.

“What he’s done best, especially against right-handers, he’s kept the ball on the ground. That’s what he’s good at doing,” Counsell said. “The right-handers are his strength, but I think he's shown he can get left-handed hitters out. Eric's done his job. He knows himself really well, he knows what he's good at and he knows what he has to do. He's off to a nice start, and I think 'reliable' is a good word for him.”

Transaction: Bettinger added
Right-hander Alec Bettinger, the Brewers’ 10th-round Draft pick in 2017, has been added to the 60-man player pool roster and assigned to the alternate training site. Bettinger, 25, is the club’s No. 27 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. He started 26 games and logged 157 strikeouts in 2019 for Double-A Biloxi, recording a 3.44 ERA and 1.07 WHIP.