MILWAUKEE — Brandon Woodruff got the news after the Brewers’ afternoon workout on Wednesday, once he was showered and packed up and ready to head home. Manager Craig Counsell called him into his office. The righthanded starter-turned-minor-leaguer-turned-reliever had known for 24 hours already that Thursday’s game would be a bullpen start. He had less than 24 hours, then, to process that he’d be getting the ball first.
In that time, the 25-year-old from Tupelo, Mississippi prioritized routine. He spent Wednesday evening with his wife, deriving no more or no less interest in the Oakland A’s bullpen start that would transpire that night at Yankee Stadium than any other bystander.