The Brewers have gotten off to a strong start to the 2022 MLB season, but the injury bug has made its way to Milwaukee. After losing Freddy Peralta to the 15-day IL, the Brewers revealed on Monday that starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff would also be headed for a stint on the shelf. Woodruff is reportedly dealing with a high ankle sprain, per Curt Hogg, though a timetable for his return has yet to be provided.

The loss of Woodruff is a significant blow for the Brewers. With Peralta out for an extended period of time, the Brewers' pitching depth has suffered a heavy loss following Woodruff's injury.

Ethan Small will toe the rubber for Milwaukee in the first leg of Monday's doubleheader, having been called up from Triple-A on Sunday, and could stick around as a replacement for Woodruff while he's sidelined.

As it stands, the Brewers' rotation consists of Corbin Burnes, Adrian Houser, Eric Lauer, Aaron Ashby, and Small.

Woodruff hasn't been his usual self this season, registering a -0.3 WAR with a 4.74 ERA through his first 9 starts. The 29-year-old has recorded 53 strikeouts across 42.1 innings, but has been plagued by the long ball early on, surrendering 7 homers thus far.

Milwaukee holds a 3.5-game lead over the Cardinals in the NL Central, though the loss of Woodruff and Peralta makes their advantage anything but secure. Hopefully, Woodruff will be ready to return after the minimum 15 days on the shelf, though the team has not yet made any indication about when they expect to have the right-hander back in the rotation.