ARLINGTON, Texas — This season has been a rollercoaster for Brandon Woodruff.

Through his first two starts, he had a 0.79 ERA and looked poised for another strong campaign for Milwaukee. But then he landed on the injured list with right shoulder tightness and didn’t return until August 6.

“It’s not ideal, but it’s the nature of the beast. We do a job where things like injuries happen,” Woodruff said during an August trip to Texas. “It’s been a tough year in terms of missing a lot of time. I take pride in trying to be available every five days and haven’t been able to do that this year.”

Since returning from the IL, the Wheeler native and Mississippi State product has made three starts, the most recent being a no-decision at Texas on August 18 when he went 5 1/3 innings, allowing three hits and four runs, including two homers, one of those to fellow ex-Bulldog Nathaniel Lowe.

Woodruff feels like he’s still in spring training mode but isn’t complaining.

“I’m in a weird phase, but I expect to go out there and do well. We’ll see how this (goes), but I feel good. That’s most important,” he said. “I know over the course of a season if I’m healthy, the results are what they’re going to be. I know what I can do and how that’ll typically pan out, but I’m faced with a shorter year, so now I’m just trying to help the team win in any way. I just want to win.”

Woodruff groused a bit about surrendering a homer to Lowe, but says he was glad to see him and fellow MSU product Chris Stratton, who the Rangers acquired at the trade deadline. Playing against those guys in the series reminded him of how great his years in Starkville were.

“It’s almost been 10 years since I was in college, which is hard to believe. I was part of a team that unfortunately got beat in the finals of the College World Series, but it’s where I met my lifelong friends,” he said.

“We still have a fantasy football league, still get together in the offseason, and have a golf trip. That was my dream school. Now I live a little over an hour from there, 20 minutes from where I went to high school. I get down there and at least try to throw a bullpen once a year or face live hitters. Their facilities are incredible. It’s like a miniature version of the big leagues.”

And being part of the fraternity of big leaguers with Starkville roots, a group which includes current Mets manager Buck Showalter, is something which never gets old.

“I got to meet Buck for the first time this past year when we were in New York.,” Woodruff said. “We take care of each other. It’s cool. At one point, from the 2013 team we had eight guys make it up. We’re well represented, and I think it just goes to show how good of a baseball school we are.”

“It’s cool every time to see (a Bulldog in the majors). I’ve never met Nathaniel Lowe in person but last night when he stepped in the box, he gave me a little head nod because I know him. Anytime you see a Mississippi State guy at the field, you go speak to him. It’s cool to be able to play against guys that went to your same school for sure.”

However, that Bulldog bond might be strongest between him and Stratton, a Tupelo native who he works out with during the winter.

“We’ve been doing that since 2016 or 2017,” Woodruff said. “He knows what I like to do and I know what he likes to do. We live 10 minutes from each other. He’s got three kids, I’ve got my little girl, so we’re busy in terms of that in the offseason, but we get together just about every day and play catch.”

Since making his big-league debut in August 2017, the Brewers are the only team Woodruff has pitched for. He’s also made eight postseason appearances for Milwaukee during that time, something he doesn’t take for granted and played for one manager, Craig Counsell, Milwaukee’s skipper since May 2015, the longest-tenured manager with his current club in the National League.

“It’s just a good organization. I’ve been very lucky to be here for this amount of time,” Woodruff said. “We’ll see what happens in the future, but I’m thinking I could stay here. It’s a good spot.”

And it’s safe to say Counsell likes what Woodruff has brought to Milwaukee’s rotation since 2017.

“He’s probably just really good. He’s had some great playoff moments,” Counsell said. “Him and Corbin (Burnes), they form a really solid one-two punch that when we’ve had him healthy has made us a good baseball team.”