Christian Yelich is out for the season. The Brewers’ star outfielder introduced (on X) that he’ll endure surgical procedure to deal with a again harm on Friday. In a press release offered by the staff, Yelich mentioned he was hopeful of being one hundred pc recovered for the 2025 season.
For the previous month, it has been a close to inevitability that Yelich was headed for surgical procedure. He went on the 10-day injured record the week earlier than the commerce deadline after enjoying by way of decrease again discomfort. Yelich visited a backbone specialist and initially tried a non-surgical rehab that’d permit him to delay the process till the offseason. The hope was to get wholesome sufficient to have the ability to contribute to the Brewers’ pennant push earlier than extra definitively addressing the issue at yr’s finish.
As Yelich defined on Thursday, the harm “wasn’t getting higher” over the previous few weeks. He added that he “ran out of choices” that may permit him to make it again this season. The previous MVP understandably expressed disappointment that he gained’t be capable of contribute on the sphere, however indicated he’d stay across the staff whereas it makes an attempt to lock down a second consecutive NL Central title (hyperlink by way of Adam McCalvy of MLB.com).
It’s a tricky finish to what was shaping up as Yelich’s finest season in just a few years. He was completely dominant throughout his first two years in Milwaukee, following up an MVP marketing campaign in 2018 with a runner-up end in 2019. Yelich paced the senior circuit in OPS each seasons. His manufacturing dropped sharply after that. From 2020-23, he was a stable, however not elite hitter. Yelich remained an excellent participant who seemed to be on the decline coming into this yr, his age-32 season.
He fully flipped that script with a monster first half. Yelich raked at a .315/.406/.504 clip throughout 315 plate appearances. He homered 11 instances and stole 21 bases whereas being thrown out simply as soon as. The three-time Silver Slugger Award winner reduce his strikeout fee to 18.4 %, the bottom of his Brewers tenure, whereas drawing walks at a superb 12.4 % clip. Even when he wasn’t fairly again to an MVP degree, Yelich was a straightforward name to start out for the Nationwide League within the All-Star Sport.
Amongst hitters with 300-plus plate appearances, Yelich is fifth in common and fourth in on-base share. He’s throughout the high 20 in slugging output. His total offensive manufacturing was 53 share factors higher than league common, as measured by wRC+. That’s fairly comfortably tops on the staff and thirteenth within the majors total (with that 300 PA minimal). Yelich’s fee of manufacturing sits between that of Rafael Devers and Ketel Marte.
Milwaukee isn’t going to have the ability to substitute that form of output. They had been conscious that Yelich may not make it again by the deadline. The entrance workplace reportedly sought a left-handed bat who might supply some punch towards righty pitching however finally didn’t discover a deal to their liking. Their deadline acquisitions ended up being solely on the pitching facet, as they introduced in Frankie Montas and reliever Nick Mears (along with their early-July pickup of Aaron Civale). The Montas commerce really sacrificed a little bit of outfield depth since they despatched Joey Wiemer to Cincinnati, although Wiemer wasn’t enjoying properly sufficient in Triple-A to tackle a significant position in Milwaukee.
Star rookie Jackson Chourio has moved to left area in Yelich’s absence. The 20-year-old is on a tear after a gradual begin to his debut marketing campaign. Chourio has hit over .300 in every of the previous three months. He’s hitting .274/.320/.441 on the season and has a large .320/.368/.510 slash going again to June 1. Sal Frelick is having an honest yr in proper area, hitting .259/.333/.331 with above-average defensive grades. Former first-round decide Garrett Mitchell is again from harm to deal with middle area duties.
It’s nonetheless a particularly gifted outfield, however any lineup could be a lot improved with Yelich in the course of the order. The harm shouldn’t cease the Brewers from making the postseason. At 69-52, they’ve constructed a cushty nine-game cushion within the NL Central. Milwaukee is in a good battle for one of many high two seeds within the Nationwide League and the accompanying first-round bye. They’re a recreation and a half behind the Phillies and Dodgers, who’re separated by share factors for the NL’s finest file.
Yelich stays a foundational piece for the Brew Crew in the long run. He’s beneath contract at $26M yearly for 4 seasons past this one. The staff holds a $20M choice for the 2029 marketing campaign. Yelich has handled intermittent again points courting again to his first few seasons with the Marlins. The surgical procedure will hopefully forestall that from being a significant concern as he nears his mid-30s.
