Christian Yelich's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) hasn't resumed swinging a bat yet, but he's doing other baseball movements and should be ready to go early in spring training. "I think that was a big part of why he had the surgery sooner than later," general manager Matt Arnold said. "He's in a really good spot right now." Yelich's 2024 season ended early when he decided to have a microdiscectomy procedure to fix a herniated disc in his lower back. It's an injury that the 33-year-old veteran has dealt with for years, so the hope is that the surgery will alleviate those concerns moving forward. Although he only played in 73 games in 2024, Yelich made his third All-Star squad by hitting .315/.406/.504 with a .909 OPS, 11 homers, 42 RBI and 21 steals in 315 plate appearances. Yelich could be a league-winner if he can return to his MVP production, but his health is a big question mark.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) said he underwent a microdiscectomy and said he'll have a rough timeline of three months. By the time Yelich and the Brewers had decided in the surgical route, the pain was impacting his day-to-day life, not just baseball activity. He thinks the surgery will help alleviate the chronic back issues he's dealt with for years. "I think everybody sees back surgery, and they kind of are like, 'Oh, that's the end of your career.' Honestly, in my mind, that couldn't be any farther from the truth. I think that it's going to help me tremendously. I think I'll probably feel a lot better than I have in the last few years going forward, so in that sense, it's cool," Yelich said. The 32-year-old should be ready for the start of spring training, but fantasy managers are going to be hesitant to pull the trigger on an aging outfielder coming off a serious back surgery.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) will undergo season-ending surgery on Friday. Yelich had been attempting a non-surgical comeback from lower-back inflammation, but he's instead opted to have a procedure as treatment for the injury. It's a tough break for fantasy managers and the first-place Brewers, who had both been hoping to get him back into the mix for the stretch run this season. Yelich expects to be healthy in time for the 2025 campaign. The 32-year-old All-Star left fielder's year ends after he slashed an outstanding .315/.406/.504 with 11 home runs, 42 RBI, 44 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases over 315 plate appearances. Sal Frelick and Garrett Mitchell should handle consistent at-bats in Milwaukee's outfield against right-handed pitching the rest of the way.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) intends to rest and rehab his injured back rather than undergo surgery that would have been season-ending, according to a source. However, offseason surgery is a strong possibility. Yelich was placed on the 10-day injured list with more lower-back issues on Wednesday and is out for the foreseeable future, considering this is the second time he's been on the IL this year due to back issues. The three-time All-Star will rest his back for now, but it doesn't guarantee that he won't eventually elect for surgery before the end of the 2024 season. The 32-year-old needs to be stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues for the time being as long as he still plans on returning this year. Until he's able to return, Blake Perkins and Gary Sanchez could see more playing time with Yelich out of action.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) will see a spine specialist on Thursday to discuss his next steps, including the possibility of season-ending back surgery. Yelich was put on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday for the second time this year due to lower-back inflammation, but the 32-year-old veteran has had back issues beyond just this season. Until we know for sure that Yelich won't play again in 2024, fantasy managers will need to keep him stashed. Losing him for the rest of the year would be a huge blow to the Brew Crew, as he is hitting .315/.406/.504 with a .909 OPS, 11 homers, 42 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 270 at-bats. Now that Yelich is out for the foreseeable future and potentially the rest of the year, catcher Gary Sanchez (calf), who returned from the IL on Wednesday, figures to see most of the at-bats as the designated hitter moving forward.