Brewers Acquire Reliever Jake Woodford From Rays

[Steve Drumwright]

Image courtesy of © Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

The always-tinkering Milwaukee Brewers made a surprising move less than 48 hours before Opening Day, acquiring right-hander Jake Woodford from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for right-hander K.C. Hunt, a prospect, and cash.

Woodford is coming off a 2025 in which he made 22 relief appearances for the Arizona Diamondbacks, his fourth team of the year. The 29-year-old signed a minor-league contract with the Rays in November and was a non-roster invite to spring training. Woodford had an upward mobility clause in his deal that had a deadline of Tuesday to be triggered. That mean he at least be added to the 40-man roster or Tampa Bay had to allow him to move to another team that offered that opportunity.

That ended up being the Brewers. Woodford, who has started 25 of his 111 career appearances since making his MLB debut in 2020, He started twice in his four Grapefruit League appearances, allowing one run on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts in 7⅓ innings.

To make room for Woodford on the 40-man roster, Akil Baddoo was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Baddoo, who signed a split contract contract with the Crew this offseason, has been battling a strained left quad in spring training and is not expected to be ready until June.

Woodford not only gives the Brewers another reliever who can go multiple innings, but he offsets the wealth of left-handers in the bullpen. This move could mean that right-hander Easton McGee will be bumped off the Opening Day roster. McGee has 11 career appearances over the last four years with the Rays, Seattle Mariners and Brewers.

That length out of the bullpen, along with left-handers Aaron Ashby and DL Hall, adds to the coverage the Brewers will need at least early due to Brandon Woodruff, who is still building up following a lat injury late in 2025, not fully stretched out. In fact, in Woodruff's last Cactus League start, he looked good for three innings before a significant velocity drop in the fourth inning.

Woodford certainly made the rounds in 2025. He signed a minor-league deal with the Colorado Rockies in January, was released in March and latched on with the New York Yankees a few days later. That lasted until June 1, when he was again sent packing, but quickly found a new home with the Chicago Cubs. Woodford made it to July 1 before being released for a third time, then signing a major-league deal with the D'backs the next day. To cap the season off, he was designated for assignment with a week to left to play.

With the D'backs, Woodford notched a 4.26 FIP (6.44 ERA), with a good 7.6% walk rate, right at his career average, and a substandard 13.5% strikeout rate. Woodford, who played his first four seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, has a career strikeout rate of 14.9%, still far below the league average of 22.7%.

Woodford has a five-pitch arsenal, led by a 93.3 mph sinker and an 81.1 mph sweeper that contributed to his 45.8% groundball rate in 2025. He does a nice job at limiting hard contact. He posted a 33.6% hard-hit percentage and an 86.1 mph average exit velocity, both excellent numbers. Woodford also uses a 86.5 mph changeup, 93.1 mph four-seam fastball and 89 mph cutter.

For his career, Woodford has a 4.84 FIP.

Hunt, a 25-year-old who was a 12th-round draft choice of the Pirates in 2022 but didn't sign, joined the Brewers as a nondrafted free agent in 2023. He was promoted to Double-A Biloxi during the 2024 season and pitched for the Shuckers for all of 2025. Hunt made 26 starts last year, with a 4.45 ERA, 43 walks and 122 strikeouts in 121⅓ innings.

 

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[Trax]

They gave up a young pitcher I saw start in Appleton in KC Hunt.  Hunt pitched beyond expectations.

[biedergb]

I guess good for KC Hunt, as he will get a chance to pitch. Brewers will have so many young near MLB ready pitchers that Hunt and others will get lost in the mix.  But dangit, Shane Smith and KC Hunt as undrafted signees were so much fun to watch in '23 (and '22 for Smith as well). Now both are gone.

[jay87shot]

Meh, there is a decent arm there however he hasn't broke through at 29 with multiple orgs. I would rather have McGee and an open 40 man spots and maybe just sign someone to a minor league deal. To give up Hunt seems like a waste when there are likely a dozen similar  guys who got cut who could prove the same depth.

[Joseph Zarr]

2 hours ago, jay87shot said:

Meh, there is a decent arm there however he hasn't broke through at 29 with multiple orgs. I would rather have McGee and an open 40 man spots and maybe just sign someone to a minor league deal. To give up Hunt seems like a waste when there are likely a dozen similar  guys who got cut who could prove the same depth.

Another way to look at it is this gives them the guy they targeted after ST while also sending KC to a great org where he will have ample opportunity to build on a solid start to his career. 

[SF70]

Hunt regressed in his age 25 season and this team is loaded with upper-minors starting pitching prospects so Hunt was expendable.

Murphy said Woodford was built-up to throw “40-something pitches” so he can give the team some length from the right-side early in the season, which they will likely need with all the young arms and Woodruff not being fully stretched-yet. Experienced, veteran arm with experience pitching length out of the pen that happens to get lots of GB’s and soft-contact right-up MKE’s alley.

 

[Tedaldtada]

Yes, lots of weak contact, but that’s partly because he gives up a lot of contact in general. He also gives up a lot of hard contact and thus a lot of runs. 

One of his comps on Baseball Savant is 2024 Colin Rae. I’m wondering if that’s the guy the Brewers are dreaming on here. He won’t eat as many innings as Rae did in 2024 but might be similarly effective. Brewers defense and bullpen are both elite. His stats should improve considerably even if his under the hood data doesn’t.

Hunt did stall a bit. But I’m sure Tampa is happy to have him. I imagine both teams see a tweak that could help each guy.

[CheezWizHed]

Giving up Hunt isn't a big deal since that long relief role that Woodford or McGee will hold down is probably Hunt's destination too.  

But I don't see the gain of getting Woodford over McGee.  They seem like the same player, IMO. As well as a dozen other AAAA guys that will be soon available. 

Kind of seems like we threw TB a bone for some of our past trades with them.  Keep the trade fires warm so to speak. 

[MadScientist]

Have to believe the Brewers have seen something in Woodford that they can unlock.   Otherwise the trade seems pointless at best.