Brewers name Brandon Woodruff as 2021 opening day starter

When the Milwaukee Brewers sprint out onto American Family Field to launch their 2021 season on opening day April 1 against Minnesota, it’ll be right-hander Brandon Woodruff toeing the rubber.

The Brewers announced their decision Thursday.

“Brandon’s established himself as a guy whose done it over a bunch of years at this point and he’s the guy at the front right now,” manager Craig Counsell said. “It’s a bit of a ceremonial nod, I think as much as anything, but I think Brandon earned it.”

Counsell also announced right-hander Corbin Burnes will start Milwaukee’s second game of the season, scheduled for 6:10 p.m. on April 3 against the Twins.

It’s the second consecutive opening-day nod for Woodruff, who allowed two runs in five innings of work against the Chicago Cubs on July 24, the first contest of the shortened 60-game 2020 campaign.

Woodruff is the first Brewers pitcher to get back-to-back starts on the first day of the season since Yovani Gollardo, who was on the bump for five straight opening days from 2010-14.

In 2020, Woodruff logged a 3-5 record with a 3.05 ERA and 11.1 K/9.

The city of Milwaukee is allowing an estimated 11,000-12,000 fans to attend the game at American Family Field.