Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich was one of the biggest stories in all of baseball before a back injury ended his season. As fans remember all too well, Yelich was the 2018 NL MVP in his first season with the Brewers after hitting .326/.402/.598 with 36 home runs and 110 RBI, which led to a team-high 22 stolen bases in Milwaukee, who won everything en route to Game 7 of the NLCS.
He was arguably even better in 2019, hitting .329/.429.671 with 44 home runs and 97 RBI to go along with 30 stolen bases. Unfortunately, a foul ball shattered his kneecap and he ended the season with 130 games. He finished second in the NL MVP voting and began a long phase in which he was a shadow of his former self.
Christian Yelich, a star player for the Milwaukee Brewers, has returned to form in 2024
2020 has been a strange year. After the world shut down due to Covid-19, Major League Baseball shortened its season to 60 games. Milwaukee made the postseason as a wild card team, but is 29-31. Yelich returned but wasn’t his usual self, hitting .205/.356/.430 with 12 home runs and 22 RBI.
Fans blamed the strangeness of the season and the state of the world in general, but it took a long time for Yelich to return to being the high-average hitter that Brewers fans had become accustomed to.
From 2020-2022, Yelich hit .243/.358/.388 and averaged 12 home runs and 43 RBI per year. Despite his penniless hitting percentage, he still managed to post an on-base percentage of .350 or better each season, giving fans hope that he would one day figure it out again.
In 2023, Yelich looked even more like the hitter Milwaukee acquired from the Miami Marlins. He hit .278/.370/.447 with 19 home runs and 76 RBI, which resulted in 28 stolen bases.
And then, in 2024, the veteran batsman finally broke free again. Before Yelich was placed on the season-ending injured list, he was hitting .315/.406/.504 with 11 home runs, 42 RBI and 21 stolen bases in just 73 games. He made the NL All-Star team for the first time since 2019 and was even named a starter.
Too bad his back didn’t want to cooperate with him. He tried to complete rehabilitation without surgery, but continuing to play with the level of pain he was in was not possible.
MLB writer suggests Milwaukee Brewers trade Christian Yelich to New York Yankees
One of the biggest testaments to how good Yelich was in 2024, and how good many believe he will continue to be, is the fact that he is now being included in trade proposals written by national baseball writers.
One such sales pitch was written by Piotr Apel z Only baseballwho, as of this writing, admitted that the chances of the Brewers selling the former MVP are less than 1%.
“There is maybe a 1% chance of this happening, but this is my article and my fantasy world, so let me dwell on it for a moment,” Appel wrote.
“Yelich signed a seven-year, $188.5 million extension with Milwaukee in 2020, so he will become an unrestricted free agent in 2029 when he turns 38. The Brewers will probably keep him because he’s fantastic, but the Brewers are always looking to move on massive contracts.
“He’ll probably play DH too now that Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell and Sal Frelick look like building blocks. I can see that for the right price they would be willing to part with Yelich after he played in just 73 games last year and his season ended with back surgery.
“It’s strenuous to say what the Brewers would want for him, but the Yankees have the system in place to make a move like this. Yelich is a fantastic bat when fit and stole 21 bases in the 73 games he played last year.
“The Yankees really need the burst of speed, as well as the other elite traits that Yelich brings to the Brewers. He’s no Juan Soto, but at his best it’s strenuous to find other left-handed batsmen who can compete with him.
As you can see, Appel was considering various options for the New York Yankees in the event that they were unable to sign Juan Soto this offseason. Indeed, Yelich would be a good option for them, especially with that brief porch on the right.
And, as Appel points out, the Brewers have a nice adolescent group of outfielders who are great defenders. 2025 could be the season where Yelich DH is seen more often in Milwaukee than he plays on the field.
But there is one mistake Appel makes when he says that brewers are always looking to get out of huge contracts. The fact is that they rarely have massive contracts to begin with. Instead, they typically look for players who will command huge contracts once they hit free agency.
Yelich signing the largest contract in franchise history was no coincidence. They want to have it with them for the long haul. Instead of saying that the chance of this transaction occurring is less than 1%, it would be more correct to say that the probability of this transaction occurring is less than 0%.
For more great Wisconsin sports content
Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19 and follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and stay up to date with Wisconsin sports news, click here!
Mayfield Sports Marketing
Call Mayfield Sports Marketing at 262-366-8188 to schedule Green Bay Packers players or alumni for a corporate appearance or product promotion. Our booking agents will work on your behalf to get you the best price for your chosen sports speaker. Mayfield Sports Marketing has gained a reputation as a company that invites top athletes to speak at events and trade shows. To learn more about Packers or alumni appearance costs and booking fees, call us today. www.MayfieldSports.com.
