Milwaukee Brewers ace Brandon Woodruff is inching closer to a return from a right shoulder injury that has kept him out since April 8. Woodruff is throwing a bullpen session on Tuesday after he threw one on Sunday and said that if all goes well, he and the Brewers will lay out plans for his return to the mound, according to Curt Hogg.

Woodruff made two starts this season before being placed on the injured list with inflammation in his throwing shoulder. An MRI revealed he had a shoulder strain. In those two starts, Woodruff allowed one run in 11 innings and struck out 12 batters. The Brewers won both games.

Woodruff has been one of the best starting pitching in Major League Baseball over the last four seasons. He has the fourth-lowest ERA among starters who have at least 55 starts since 2021 and finished fifth in NL Cy Young Award voting in 2021. He and Corbin Burnes are arguably the best one-two punch in baseball when healthy.

The Brewers have done well in Woodruff's absence as they are currently 41-37 and hold a slim lead in the NL Central. Milwaukee's starters have the 10th-best ERA in the MLB despite Burnes' 4.10 ERA and Woodruff being on the shelf.

Though it's still unclear when Brandon Woodruff will be back with the Brewers, it is likely he'll be able to make his first rehab start in the minor leagues shortly after the All-Star break. Brewers fans may not have to wait much longer after that to see him return to the rotation, with a late-July/early-August return date a real possibility.