Brewers place Brandon Woodruff on IL with shoulder inflammation following Thursday’s early exit
Brandon Woodruff placed on 15-day IL due to shoulder inflammation.

The Kentucky Wildcats are preparing for the 2026 football season with a revamped roster under Will Stein, focusing on tight ends as a key strength. Willie Rodriguez is expected to be a standout player, potentially an All-SEC candidate.
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The energy is palpable as the Kentucky Wildcats are gearing up for the 2026 season with a new era. Will Stein and his staff have overhauled the roster and bring a much different philosophy to the Wildcats than the previous regime. It cannot be overstated exactly how much different this team will look in the fall. Going position by position and seeing how each group is projected to fill out on the depth chart, we now turn our focus to one of the strengths: tight ends.
Willie Rodriguez was one of the biggest priorities to maintain on this roster for Stein and his staff. Rodriguez is a do-it-all tight end who plays with a ton of effort, he can block and become a legitimate threat in the passing game. If you take a look at Stein's offenses at Oregon, he has always got the tight ends involved. Kenyon Sadiq was just a first round draft pick, and there is a good chance Jamari Johnson will be drafted highly in the 2027 draft class.
When you watch Oregon last season, you will notice Sadiq and Johnson both used in multiple ways. They will line up inline, in the slot as a receiver and even on the outside in some cases. Stein likes to create mismatches with his tight ends, putting them in favorable matchups to win downfield routes. Not only that, you will also see the tight ends catching screen passes from multiple looks.
Sadiq and Johnson were among Oregon's top five leading receivers a year ago, as both eclipsed 500 yards on the season. Rodriguez is a traditional Y tight end that will be on the field for a majority of the snaps this fall. Kentucky has quality depth in this tight end room, however, I don't know if they have a guy that will have the production like Johnson did for the Ducks in 2025. This is the main reason I expect Rodriguez to be an All-SEC candidate this season.
Willie Rodriguez is the starting tight end for the Kentucky Wildcats in the 2026 season.
Rodriguez is a versatile tight end known for his blocking ability and effectiveness in the passing game, making him a crucial asset for the team.
Stein's coaching philosophy emphasizes utilizing tight ends in various roles, creating mismatches and involving them significantly in the passing game.
The tight ends are expected to play a major role in the offense, with Rodriguez likely being a top performer and a candidate for All-SEC honors.
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Mikkel Skinner is the one guy who could fill that Jamari Johnson type role, although it would be asking a lot of him to produce a 500 yard season. The redshirt freshman has the perfect mold to be a traditional move tight end that you will see out in receiver stance frequently. Skinner has exceptional movement ability for his size and will become that second tight end in terms of receiving production. The question is how big of step can he take in his first season as a real contributor.
Skinner is the ideal move tight end that can eventually become a great player for the Wildcats, it just may take some time. Henry Boyer is of the opposite mold, which is perfect for the position group. Boyer can make tough catches through contact, but he is not a player that will be actively targeted in this offense. He is mainly fit for the role of a pure blocking tight end, someone you will see in 12 or 13 personnel sets trying to gain numbers by adding an extra blocker in the run game.
Rodriguez fits that all-around traditional Y tight end role. Skinner fits the move tight end role effectively as a threat in the passing game that can cause mismatches. Boyer fits the blocking tight end role with the physicality he plays with. Tight end is without a doubt a position group of strength for Kentucky in 2026.
This article originally appeared on UK Wildcats Wire: Kentucky football: Previewing the 2026 tight end position