Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich will undergo season-ending back surgery. The team issued an announcement on Thursday, following a 6–4 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Yelich, 32, has been on the injured list since July 24 with lower back inflammation. After meeting with a spine specialist, his intention was to avoid surgery and recover from the injury through rehabilitation.
The 12-year veteran was having his best season since 2019, when he was one of the best players in MLB (and won the 2018 National League MVP award). In 73 games, he batted .315 with a .909 OPS, 12 doubles, 11 home runs, 42 RBI and 21 stolen bases.
Soon after going on the IL, Yelich talked to reporters to dispel rumors that the back injury might threaten his career,
“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.”
