Woodruff declines option with Brewers, who exercise option on Peralta, decline option on Jansen

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MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff declined a $20 million mutual option for 2026 in favor of a $10 million buyout and the two-time All-Star right-hander will become a free agent.

Milwaukee said Monday it exercised an $8 million team option on two-time All-Star Freddy Peralta, the final year in a contract that will be worth $30 million over seven seasons.

The Brewers declined a $12 million mutual option on catcher Danny Jansen, who get a $500,000 buyout as part of a deal he signed with Tampa Bay that guaranteed $8.5 million.

After missing the 2024 season while recovering from shoulder surgery, Woodruff returned in July and went 7-2 with a 3.20 ERA in 12 starts. He missed the postseason with a right lat strain that was unrelated to the prior injury.

During the postseason, the Brewers had held out hope Woodruff might be able to return if they had made the World Series, an indication he should be ready for the start of the 2026 season. Woodruff will turn 33 on Feb. 10

“As far as the future, I don’t know what that will entail, but I’m glad I had the opportunity to come back here,” Woodruff said before the Brewers’ NL Division Series win over the Chicago Cubs. “My son was born here last year. I’ve got so many roots dug here in Milwaukee. And not just the people in the clubhouse but people outside of the baseball field I’ve gotten to know. It’s home for sure. It’s my second home. Yeah, so for sure, I needed to throw on this uniform again.”

Woodruff agreed before the 2024 season to a backloaded $17.5 million, two-year contrac t. He gets half the buyout on Jan. 15 and the remainder on July 15.

Jansen, who turns 31 on April 15, batted .254 with a .346 on-base percentage, three homers and seven RBIs in 25 games with Milwaukee after his hometown team acquired him at the trade deadline. He hit .204 with a .314 on-base percentage, 11 homers and 29 RBIs in 73 games with Tampa Bay.

Peralta, 29, made his second All-Star team this season and went 17-6 with a 2.70 ERA in 33 starts. He struck out 204 over 176 2/3 innings while helping Milwaukee win a third straight NL Central title.

Milwaukee also selected the contract of right-hander Coleman Crow from Triple-A Nashville. Crow, who turns 25 on Dec. 30, went 4-1 with a 3.24 ERA in 12 starts for Double-A Biloxi and the Sounds.

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