Brewers' Christian Yelich having season-ending back surgery
The Milwaukee Brewers' plans for another run to the playoffs no longer include their best player.
Outfielder Christian Yelich announced Thursday night that Dr. Brandon Rebholz will be performing surgery on his troublesome back Friday, thus ending what had been a resurgent season for the 32-year-old.
"It just got to the point where it wasn't getting better," Yelich said in a video released not long after the Brewers' 6-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at American Family Field.
"Tried everything I could. Ran out of options and it came time to make a decision. This was the best option that we have left. It just, it sucks. There's really no other way to put it than it sucks. It's terrible, but it's part of sports. These things happen. You get hurt, you get fixed, you get back out there and try to stay as positive as possible about it.
"It's going to be for the best. Short-term, terrible. Long-term, it's going to be all right."
Yelich finishes the season with a .315 average, 11 home runs, 42 runs batted in, an OPS of .909 and 21 stolen bases in 73 games. He earned a starting berth for the National League in the All-Star Game in July.
He began to see most of his playing time at designated hitter beginning in late June and didn't play the outfield again (aside from the All-Star Game) after July 9.
Yelich's final game was July 23, when he was pulled after his third plate appearance against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. He had been on the injured list since then attempting to rehab and return to play, but to no avail.
"It's so weird when you're hurt," Yelich said. "You're on the team but you feel like you're not. You're kind of just there. You help out in any way you can but you're not really in the grind with the guys and have any impact on what's happening out there.
"But it's a great group of guys. They're playing extremely well and I'm happy to watch them and see what they're going to do. Hopefully they can win the division, get in the playoffs. Then once you're in the postseason it's like, who knows what's going to happen?
"Get hot, and it could be a cool run. I'm excited for them and hopefully they can pull it off. I think they'll be just fine."
Yelich also said he expects to be 100% recovered and ready for the 2025 season.
Yelich's back has been an issue for much of his tenure with the Brewers since coming over from the Miami Marlins via trade in 2018. He spent 20 games on the IL from mid-April to early May this season.
The timing is terrible for the Brewers, who suddenly are shorthanded in the outfield with Blake Perkins also having been placed on the IL earlier this week, as well as for Yelich himself, who had successfully built off a strong 2023 and was looking much like the MVP-caliber player he was in 2018 and 2019.
Yelich, who turns 33 on Dec. 5, is signed through 2028 with a team option for 2029 and is being paid $26 million per season.