Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich is experiencing his best season in years, making his first All-Star team since 2019 and entering Wednesday with the National League’s best batting average (.315) and on-base percentage (.406).
The 32-year-old has been a crucial part of the 58-43 start (which has them five games ahead of the second-place St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central).
Yelich’s resurgent 2024 campaign hit a serious speed bump on Wednesday, however, as he was placed on the 10-day injured list with lower-back inflammation.
The three-time All-Star and three-time Silver Slugger Award winner was replaced in the sixth inning of Tuesday night’s 1-0 win over the Chicago Cubs after going 0-for-1 with two walks.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy was asked what he thought when Yelich was forced from the contest and responded, “Oh s–t.”
Murphy and Yelich discussed the situation ahead of Wednesday afternoon’s contest against Chicago and had a pessimistic outlook on the injury.
The two-time NL batting champion leads a young Milwaukee outfield that includes 20-year-old Jackson Chourio and 24-year-old Sal Frelick.
Yelich’s slash line of .315/.406/.504 and his .909 OPS are both his best marks since he led the senior circuit in all four categories during his 2019 NL runner-up campaign. The former Gold Glover also won the 2018 NL MVP when he posted career bests in runs scored (118), hits (187), triples (seven), RBI (110) and total bases (343).
He’s not only the longest-tenured Brewers position player (starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff debuted one season before Yelich was traded to Milwaukee in January 2018) but has been one of their top bats all year.
In addition to his batting average and on-base percentage, Yelich also leads the squad in slugging percentage and OPS. Despite missing 28 games this year, he’s second in steals (21) and walks (40) and third in total bases (136).
If Yelich’s injury is as bad as the team appears to think it is, the Brewers could lose their spot atop the division this summer.