Woodford agreed to a major-league contract with the Diamondbacks on Wednesday, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports.
Woodford opted out of his minor-league contract with the Cubs on Tuesday and quickly found an opportunity in Arizona. The right-hander has spent all of this season at the Triple-A level between the Yankees and Cubs organizations, putting up a 4.55 ERA and 59:20 K:BB over 61.1 innings covering 10 starts and four relief outings. Woodford appears destined for a long-relief role.
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Jake Woodford: Heads into free agency
Rotowire
The Cubs released Woodford on Tuesday.
Woodford had an opt-out clause in his minor-league contract that allowed him to test free agency if he wasn't promoted to the big leagues by Tuesday. After previously opting out of his minor-league deal with the Yankees earlier this season, Woodford signed with the Cubs in June and posted a 4.57 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 20:3 K:BB in 21.2 innings over four appearances (three starts) with Triple-A Iowa.
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Cubs' Jake Woodford: Lands with Cubs
Rotowire
Woodford signed a minor-league contract with the Cubs on Thursday.
The Yankees released Woodford on Sunday, but he found a new opportunity quickly. He'll be a candidate to provide depth out of the Cubs' bullpen but has yet to appear in a major-league game in 2025.
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Jake Woodford: Parts ways with New York
Rotowire
The Yankees released Woodford on Sunday.
Woodford had been pitching with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, compiling a 4.54 ERA, 1.58 WHIP and 39:17 K:B over 39.2 innings across 10 outings (seven starts). The veteran right-hander's contract included an opt-out clause that he chose to exercise, making him a free agent. Woodford will likely look to latch on with another organization, but he may need to accept another minor-league deal given his lack of success in the majors in recent seasons. Across stints with the Pirates and White Sox in 2024, he posted a 7.97 ERA, 1.63 WHIP and 26:9 K:BB over 35 frames.
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Yankees' Jake Woodford: Scooped up by New York
Rotowire
Woodford signed a minor-league contract with the Yankees on Monday, Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors reports.
Woodford exercised the opt-out clause of his minor-league contract and was released by the Rockies on Sunday, and it didn't take long for the right hander to find a new club. He's expected to begin the 2025 campaign at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and provide organizational depth to the starting rotation.
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Jake Woodford: Released following opt-out
Rotowire
Woodford exercised the opt-out in his minor-league contract and was released by the Rockies on Sunday.
Woodford signed a minor-league contract with Colorado in mid-January and pitched in seven exhibition games, posting a 5.25 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 6:4 K:BB over 12 innings. The veteran righty didn't appear set to make the Opening Day roster, and he'll look elsewhere for his next big-league opportunity. Woodford recorded a 7.97 ERA and 26:9 K:BB over 35 innings between the White Sox and Pirates last year, and he may need to accept another minor-league contract in order to be able to land with a new organization.
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Rockies' Jake Woodford: NRI deal with Colorado
Rotowire
The Rockies signed Woodford to a minor-league contract Sunday that includes an invitation to spring training, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports.
Woodford made nine appearances (seven starts) between the White Sox and Pirates in 2024, posting a 7.97 ERA and 26:9 K:BB over 35 innings. He will likely compete for a swingman role in spring training but figures to be ticketed for Triple-A Albuquerque.
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Pirates' Jake Woodford: Clears waivers
Rotowire
The Pirates outrighted Woodford to Triple-A Indianapolis on Sunday.
Woodford will stick around in the Pittsburgh organization after he cleared waivers upon being designated for assignment Thursday. Since signing a minor-league contract with the Pirates in June, Woodford has appeared in seven games for the big club and has posted a 7.09 ERA and 1.39 WHIP across 26.2 innings.
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Pirates' Jake Woodford: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
The Pirates designated Woodford for assignment Thursday, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Woodford's no-decision in which he allowed four runs on eight hits over 4.2 innings may have been his last outing for the Pirates. He allowed a total of 16 earned runs in his final three appearances for the club. In a corresponding move, Isaac Mattson was selected from Triple-A Indianapolis.
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Pirates' Jake Woodford: Promoted ahead of start
Rotowire
The Pirates called Woodford up from Triple-A Indianapolis to start Wednesday's game against the Cardinals, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
The right-hander was sent outright to Indianapolis in late August after being designated for assignment by Pittsburgh, but he'll rejoin the big club for a spot start Wednesday in St. Louis. Woodford has an 8.01 ERA, 1.62 WHIP and 21:9 K:BB across 30.1 frames in the majors this season, so he doesn't offer much streaming appeal.
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Pirates' Jake Woodford: Surrenders four runs in no-decision
Rotowire
Woodford did not factor into the decision in a loss to the Cardinals on Wednesday, allowing four runs on eight hits and no walks over 4.2 innings while striking out five.
Woodford went 1-2-3 through the opening frame before getting tagged for a two-run homer in the second, followed by another two runs in the third to put the Pirates in a 4-0 hole. The right-hander was then relieved by Joey Wentz with two outs in the fifth, but not before posting a season-high five strikeouts on the night. Woodford has now allowed four or more runs in each of his last three starts for Pittsburgh (dating back to Aug. 18), posting a 12:4 K:BB over that stretch. He's also been unable to make it through five innings in each of those outings.
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Pirates' Jake Woodford: Spot start scheduled
Rotowire
The Pirates will promote Woodford from Triple-A Indianapolis to start Wednesday's game against the Cardinals, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Woodford hasn't performed well in the big leagues this season, turning in an 8.01 ERA and 1.62 WHIP across 30.1 innings between the White Sox and Pirates. However, he's allowed three earned runs in nine innings with Indianapolis since his last MLB appearance, so Pittsburgh will entrust the 27-year-old with a spot start against his former club Wednesday.
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Pirates' Jake Woodford: Outrighted to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Pirates outrighted Woodford to Triple-A Indianapolis on Wednesday.
Woodford had the option to elect free agency, but it appears he's decided to remain in the Pittsburgh organization. The 27-year-old holds an ugly 8.01 ERA over six starts and two relief appearances in his two major-league stops this season.
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Pirates' Jake Woodford: Loses 40-man roster spot
Rotowire
The Pirates designated Woodford for assignment Monday.
After being called up from Triple-A Indianapolis on July 30, Woodford made six appearances (four starts) for the Pirates and went 0-4 with a 6.95 ERA across 22 innings. Though Pittsburgh could keep a six-man rotation in place over the final month of the season to help keep the workloads of young hurlers Paul Skenes and Jared Jones (lat) in check, the team won't have a starting role available for Woodford. Domingo German appears to have usurped Woodford for a spot in the rotation after German tossed six scoreless innings in his first start for the Pirates this past Wednesday against the Rangers.
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Pirates' Jake Woodford: Roughed up by Reds
Rotowire
Woodford (0-6) gave up eight runs (six earned) on six hits and three walks over 3.1 innings in a loss to the Reds on Saturday. He struck out three.
Woodford was jumped by the Reds for four runs in the first inning and another four in the fourth. The 27-year-old allowed a career-worst eight runs and failed to get out of the fourth inning for the first time in four starts with the Pirates. Woodford has now given up seven or more runs in back-to-back starts and will carry a 7.71 ERA into his next start, if he sticks in the rotation.
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Pirates' Jake Woodford: Lit up in defeat
Rotowire
Woodford (0-5) took the loss Sunday, allowing seven runs (five earned) on nine hits and one walk over four innings against the Mariners. He struck out four.
Woodford was tagged early when Cal Raleigh blasted a two-run homer with one out in the first inning and was never able to find his footing as he was let down both by his own performance and by poor defense. After showing well in a spot start against San Diego, Woodford was given another crack but was lit up for seven total runs by a Mariners squad that had failed to score more than three runs in any game during the five-game losing streak that they carried into the contest. While a better performance may have altered the Pirates' mindset a bit, with Jared Jones (lat) slated to make at least one more rehab start early this week, Woodford appears to be the most likely to lose his spot in the rotation once jones is ready to make his return.
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Pirates' Jake Woodford: Drawing another start
Rotowire
Woodford is scheduled to start Sunday's game against the Mariners in Pittsburgh.
He'll be making his second turn through the rotation as a replacement for Marco Gonzales, who was placed on the injured list Monday with a season-ending forearm strain. The Pirates could get Jared Jones (lat) back from the IL later this month, but the team could still choose to keep Woodford part of a six-man rotation in an effort to keep the workloads of Jones and fellow rookie Paul Skenes under control down the stretch. Woodford's performance in future outings could factor into the Pirates' plans for him moving forward, and he made a strong first impression in his start this past Monday in San Diego, when he limited the Padres to one run on three hits and no walks over six innings.
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Pirates' Jake Woodford: Takes tough-luck loss Monday
Rotowire
Woodford (0-4) took the loss against San Diego on Monday, allowing one run on three hits and no walks while striking out two batters over six innings.
If this was an audition to reclaim a rotation spot, Woodford made a strong case, as he tossed his first quality start of the campaign while holding the Padres to a single run. The right-hander was given a chance to start as a result of Marco Gonzales moving to the injured list due to a forearm strain Monday, and with Gonzales now out for the season, Woodford could take his place in the rotation. Such a move may be temporary, however, as Jared Jones (lat) has begun a rehab assignment and could be back with the Pirates within the next 10 days.
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Pirates' Jake Woodford: Drawing start in San Diego
Rotowire
Woodford will start Monday's game in San Diego, Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reports.
Lefty Marco Gonzales had been on turn to start Monday, but he faced the Padres his last time out and was touched up for five runs on eight hits and two walks over 4.2 innings. Whether Gonzales makes a start later in the series or is held back for the weekend set against the Mariners isn't clear, but Woodford will pick up his second start of the season with Pittsburgh on Monday. Over his three appearances since being called up from Triple-A Indianapolis in late July, Woodford has allowed seven runs (four earned) with a 5:0 K:BB over 8.2 innings.
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Pirates' Jake Woodford: Shifts back to bullpen
Rotowire
Woodford made appearances out of the Pittsburgh bullpen Sunday against the Diamondbacks and Tuesday against the Padres, giving up four earned runs on four hits and no walks while striking out two over 3.2 innings.
After calling Woodford up from Triple-A Indianapolis on July 30, the Pirates turned to the right-hander to make a spot start against the Astros a day later. He gave up three unearned runs over five innings in a no-decision versus Houston, but the outing wasn't enough for Woodford to stick around in the rotation. Woodford will likely be deployed in mop-up situations or lower-leverage spots out of the bullpen while he's with the Pirates.
