Milwaukee Brewers star outfielder Christian Yelich has been ruled out for the rest of the season due to a back injury, with the announcement coming on Wednesday that he will undergo back surgery. Given the unpredictable nature of back injuries, there were initial concerns about whether Yelich might also miss time next season.
Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold provided an update on Yelich’s recovery timeline before their 3-5 loss to the Guardians on Friday, as reported by the Associated Press.
“By doing this sooner, it allows him to hopefully be ready for Opening Day next year,” Arnold stated.
When asked about Yelich’s availability for spring training, Arnold responded cautiously, saying, “That’s my understanding, but you never know with a back and how it’s going to respond with the surgery he had. We’re optimistic about him being ready for Opening Day.”
Yelich underwent a diskectomy, a surgical procedure to remove a damaged part of a disc from his spine. The surgery was performed on Friday by Dr. Brandon Rebholz in Milwaukee.
While losing Yelich for the remainder of this season is undoubtedly a major setback, the Brewers are encouraged by the prospect of him being ready for spring training and the start of the 2025 season.
Impact of Yelich’s Absence on the Brewers
Before his injury on July 23, Yelich was having a remarkable bounce-back season in 2024, reestablishing himself as one of the best hitters in baseball. An All-Star this year, Yelich was hitting .315/.406/.504. After winning the National League MVP in 2018 and finishing second in NL MVP voting in 2019, Yelich had struggled in recent years, leading many to doubt whether he could return to his previous MVP-caliber form. This season’s performance, however, suggested otherwise.
With Yelich leading the charge, the Brewers quietly emerged as one of the top teams in baseball, currently holding a 70-52 record and sitting 10 games ahead of the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central. They are strong contenders for the postseason.
In Yelich’s absence, the Brewers will lean more heavily on their younger outfielders, including 20-year-old rookie Jackson Chourio, 24-year-old Sal Frelick, and 25-year-old Garrett Mitchell.
The key question moving forward is whether Yelich can return to the elite form he displayed when he was a perennial MVP candidate, or at least maintain the All-Star level of play he achieved this season.
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