Brewers' Brandon Woodruff tops list of 63 non-tendered players - ESPN

Brandon Woodruff, a two-time All-Star who when healthy has been one of the game's best starting pitchers, headlined a list of 63 players who were non-tendered ahead of Friday's deadline, making him a free agent.

Teams had until 8 p.m. ET on Friday to tender contracts to players who remain under their control, a circumstance that prompts clubs to essentially release certain players rather than pay them what they would make through the arbitration process.

Power-hitting first baseman Daniel Vogelbach, who amassed 30 home runs as recently as 2019, was non-tendered by the New York Mets. Veteran catchers Austin Nola (San Diego Padres) and Jacob Stallings (Miami Marlins) also ventured into the free-agent market, as did St. Louis Cardinals starter Dakota Hudson. The Brewers non-tendered Rowdy Tellez shortly after acquiring another power-hitting first baseman, Jake Bauers, from the New York Yankees.

But it was their decision to move on from Woodruff that grabbed the most attention.

Woodruff, 30, joined Corbin Burnes and Freddy Peralta to make up a dynamic starting rotation that helped the small-market Brewers make the postseason five times in the past six years. Woodruff finished fifth in National League Cy Young Award voting in 2021, then turned in another solid year in 2022. But he missed four months early in the 2023 season with a subcapular strain in his throwing shoulder.

Woodruff came back to post a 2.59 ERA in nine starts but learned he had suffered another shoulder injury on the eve of the Brewers' wild-card series in early October. Less than two weeks later, he underwent surgery to repair the anterior capsule in his throwing shoulder, a procedure that puts his availability for 2024 in jeopardy, after which he is