The Milwaukee Brewers, leading the National League Central, will now have to push for the playoffs without Christian Yelich, who is scheduled for season-ending back surgery on Friday. The 2018 NL MVP was having a strong season before being placed on the injured list in late July, leading the NL with a .315 batting average and a .406 on-base percentage.
Yelich hasn’t played since being removed from a game at Chicago’s Wrigley Field on July 23. Persistent back issues, which have troubled him for years, caused him to be sidelined twice this season. In a video posted on social media, the 32-year-old Yelich stated that surgery “was just the best option that we really had left,” noting that his condition wasn’t improving despite all efforts.
The surgery will be performed by Dr. Brandon Rebholz in Milwaukee. Yelich expressed his frustration, saying, “There’s really no other way to put it other than it sucks. It’s terrible. But it’s part of sports. These things happen. You get hurt, you get fixed and you get back out there. Try to stay as positive as possible about it.”
Yelich was enjoying his best season since his first two years in Milwaukee, earning his third All-Star selection with 11 home runs, 42 RBIs, and 21 steals in 73 games despite his back issues.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy praised Yelich for the leadership he provided to a young team that has stayed at the top of the NL Central since April, despite numerous injuries. The Brewers will miss Yelich’s presence as they continue their pursuit of their first World Series title in franchise history.
