Why Brewers made $22.025 million mistake with All-Star starting pitcher

The Milwaukee Brewers are paying a lot of money to a pitcher who can't seem to stay healthy. 

It's not necessarily impacting their play on the field, but it's a situation to monitor nonetheless. 

Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller thinks extending the right-hander a qualifying offer during the offseason was Milwaukee's biggest mistake and regret. 

"However, between that payday and the $10M buyout the Brewers already had to give [Brandon] Woodruff from the mutual option in his previous contract that wasn't exercised, this small-market club has had to invest a lot of money in a guy who had made a combined total of 23 starts over the previous three seasons—and who landed on the IL with shoulder inflammation just six starts into the current campaign," Miller wrote. 

Woodruff, a two-time All-Star, is on the 15-day IL with right shoulder inflammation. The 33-year-old has made six starts thus far, posting a 3.60 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 30 innings. 

Could the Brewers have held on to Freddy Peralta if Woodruff signed elsewhere? 

"Had Woodruff declined the qualifying offer, perhaps the Brewers wouldn't have felt the need to trade away Freddy Peralta, whose 3.31 ERA has been a key factor for a Mets team that might be starting to turn things around," Miller added. 

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Woodruff's contract could have also been reallocated to different parts of the Brewers' roster. 

It remains to be seen how effective Woodrfuff can be this year. Injuries have been a major issue for him the past few years. 

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