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Brewers' Christian Yelich will undergo season-ending back surgery

The 2019 NL MVP has been sidelined since July 24 due to back inflammation

ian casselberry
Contributing writer
·2 min read
19

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich will undergo season-ending back surgery. He issued an announcement through the team Thursday, following a 6–4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"After careful consideration and consultation with medical personnel, I have decided to undergo season-ending back surgery," Yelich said in a statement. "I ultimately felt it was in the best interest of myself and the Brewers to have surgery with the expectation of being back at 100% for next season."

Yelich, 32, has been on the injured list since July 24 due to lower back inflammation. Brewers manager Pat Murphy indicated that a nerve issue was also involved. After meeting with a spine specialist, Yelich's intention was to avoid surgery and recover from the injury through rest and rehabilitation.

The 12-year veteran also posted a video on social media explaining the decision to fans.

"It just got to the point where it wasn't getting better, tried everything I could, ran out of options, and it came time to make a decision," Yelich said, confirming that the surgery is scheduled for Friday.

"It was the best option that we really had left. It sucks. There's really no other way to put it, other than it sucks," he added. "It's terrible, but it's a part of sports. These things happen. You get hurt, you get fixed, and you get back out there. Try to stay as positive as possible about it."

Yelich was having his best season since 2019, when he was one of the best players in MLB after winning the 2018 National League MVP award. He was batting .315 with a .909 OPS, 12 doubles, 11 home runs, 42 RBI and 21 stolen bases, and he was the leading All-Star vote-getter among NL outfielders this year.

However, the outfielder was limited to 73 games, having missed 22 games in April and May due to a lower back strain.

Soon after going on the IL, Yelich talked to reporters to dispel rumors that the back injury might threaten his career. He has dealt with back issues going back to his mid-20s while with the Miami Marlins and missed time each of the past three seasons.

"Next year’s not in jeopardy. My career is not in jeopardy," Yelich said, via MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. "There’s a lot of wild [stuff] out there."

Yelich is under contract for four more seasons totaling $88 million, with a $20 million mutual option for 2029, according to Spotrac.

With a 69–52 record (third-best in the NL), the Brewers have a nine-game lead in the NL Central over the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals