PHOENIX – Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich marked an important milestone in his recovery from back surgery by returning to play for the first time since July. On Saturday, Yelich stepped up as the designated hitter during the Brewers’ 9-4 win over the Texas Rangers in a Cactus League game. Although he went 0 for 3 and recorded two strikeouts and an RBI, his participation was a significant moment in his comeback journey.
“It was just cool to be out there, honestly, because it’s a long road from the last time I did it,” Yelich shared with reporters following the game. “Honestly, that was a victory in itself for me today.”
The 33-year-old star last appeared in a game on July 23 before back trouble sidelined him. Subsequently, he was placed on the injured list and underwent a diskectomy in August to address issues related to a damaged disk in his spine. This health setback cut short a strong season that had seen Yelich secure his third selection to the All-Star Game. At the time of his injury, Yelich was leading the National League in batting average and on-base percentage, boasting a .315 average, .406 on-base percentage, .504 slugging percentage, alongside 11 home runs, 42 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases over 73 games.
With changes looming for the Brewers, particularly the departure of shortstop Willy Adames to the San Francisco Giants on a seven-year, $182 million contract, a productive season from Yelich could be crucial. Adames previously hit 32 homers and drove in 112 runs for Milwaukee in 2024, and Yelich’s health and performance could help offset that loss.
Yelich is optimistic about being ready for the start of the season, and his return to game action on Saturday is a positive sign in that direction. “I honestly didn’t care what the results were at all,” Yelich commented. “Just find out where you’re at and go from there. I thought there were some good things, some things that weren’t too good. But it was basically how I expected it to be, and my body felt good. That was pretty much the biggest concern of the day.”
