Brandon Woodruff Free Agency Update: Mets checking in on ex-Brewers pitcher for possible move

While the New York Mets are all-in on Yoshinobu Yamamoto, there is a real chance they will miss out and one of the next names on the list could be Brandon Woodruff.

The Mets have checked in with Woodruff, now a free agent after seven years pitching for the Milwaukee Brewers, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. While this is not Plan A, Woodruff could be part of an intriguing Plan B.

Michael Marino of "The Inside Scoop" took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his thoughts on the rumor.

"Mets unsuccessfully tried the strategy of signing a player out for the following year to play 2 years out when they signed John Curtiss in 2022. Could Stearns get one of his former players and go down that well again in a much bigger way with a Brandon Woodruff signing?"

This is certainly an interesting proposal, as shoulder surgery will cause Brandon Woodruff to miss the 2024 season. This further adds to the idea that the Mets are looking to make a real push in 2025.

What would a Brandon Woodruff deal with the Mets look like?

Signing a pitcher with a long-term injury is always a dangerous business, but Brandon Woodruff could be a low-risk, high-reward move for the New York Mets. After the Brewers decided not to tender him a deal, Woodruff became a free agent and there has been relatively little talk of him finding a team since.

This is mostly due to the other free agency dominos needing to fall first, but as they have started to topple, Woodruff will start to get more attention. As for the kind of contract Woodruff could garner, MLB Rums touted a two or three-year deal for a minimum of $30 million.

While this may not be the win-now Plan B Mets fans likely want if Yamamoto does sign elsewhere, they could do a lot worse. If Woodruff is the same pitcher when he returns to the mound in 2025, the Mets might have the pieces in place to mount a serious challenge.

Woodruff, 30, is a two-time All-Star and has a career 3.10 ERA and 788 strikeouts. He finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting in 2021 and could be a useful addition for 2025.