back on track

The anxious journey back to the big leagues began on Saturday for Brandon Woodruff, the ex-Mississippi State standout from Wheeler. Woodruff threw two innings (two hits, a walk and a run) for Milwaukee’s Arizona League team. Woodruff was warming up for what would have been his major league debut on June 13 when a hamstring problem caused him to be scratched and then placed on the disabled list. Woodruff, the Brewers’ minor league pitcher of the year in 2016, was 6-4 with a 4.12 ERA at Triple-A Colorado Springs when he was called up. He’ll likely work some there again before rejoining the Brewers later this month, according to reports. … Meanwhile, Petal’s Anthony Alford is 2-for-9 on his rehab assignment in the Class A Florida State League (see previous report). Alford made his big league debut with Toronto on May 19 but went on the DL five days later with a broken wrist. Ole Miss alum Chris Coghlan, also with Toronto, has been on the DL since June 16 with a wrist injury; his return is TBD, according to mlb.com’s Injury Update page. Ex-State star Kendall Graveman is expected to make a rehab start on Wednesday in Oakland’s system. UM product Bobby Wahl is also on the DL (since May 24) for the A’s with no return date imminent. Hunter Renfroe, the former MSU star recently put on the DL by San Diego, could be activated as soon as Thursday. P.S. Props to UM alum Lance Lynn, who tossed 6 1/3 shutout innings in St. Louis’ win against Pittsburgh, and to State product Jonathan Holder, who worked three scoreless innings for the New York Yankees in their 16-inning win against Boston.