Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich is experiencing his finest season in years, making his first All-Star crew since 2019 and getting into Wednesday with the Nationwide League’s finest batting common (.315) and on-base proportion (.406).
The 32-year-old has been a vital a part of the 58-43 begin (which has them 5 video games forward of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals within the NL Central).
Yelich’s resurgent 2024 marketing campaign hit a severe velocity bump on Wednesday, nonetheless, as he was positioned on the 10-day injured listing with lower-back irritation.Â
The three-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger Award winner was changed within the sixth inning of Tuesday evening’s 1-0 win over the Chicago Cubs after going 0-for-1 with two walks.
Brewers supervisor Pat Murphy was requested what he thought when Yelich was compelled from the competition and responded, “Oh s–t.”
Murphy and Yelich mentioned the state of affairs forward of Wednesday afternoon’s contest towards Chicago and had a pessimistic outlook on the damage.
The 2-time NL batting champion leads a younger Milwaukee outfield that features 20-year-old Jackson Chourio and 24-year-old Sal Frelick.
Yelich’s slash line of .315/.406/.504 and his .909 OPS are each his finest marks since he led the senior circuit in all 4 classes throughout his 2019 NL runner-up marketing campaign. The previous Gold Glover additionally received the 2018 NL MVP when he posted profession bests in runs scored (118), hits (187), triples (seven), RBI (110) and complete bases (343).
He is not solely the longest-tenured Brewers place participant (beginning pitcher Brandon Woodruff debuted one season earlier than Yelich was traded to Milwaukee in January 2018) however has been one in every of their prime bats all yr.
Along with his batting common and on-base proportion, Yelich additionally leads the squad in slugging proportion and OPS. Regardless of lacking 28 video games this yr, he is second in steals (21) and walks (40) and third in complete bases (136).
If Yelich’s damage is as unhealthy because the crew seems to assume it’s, the Brewers may lose their spot atop the division this summer season.