Yelich exits with back soreness with next steps unclear

BALTIMORE -- Christian Yelich’s hottest start in years is a big reason the Brewers are clicking on all cylinders right now, having scored seven or more runs in five straight games for the first time since 2011. But now they may have to do it without Yelich for some time.

Yelich’s status is uncertain after his long-lingering back issues flared up again in Friday’s 11-1 win over the Orioles. Yelich left the game in the bottom of the second inning after feeling what the team described as “lower back discomfort” while running the bases an inning prior. It is the latest incident in Yelich’s long history of back trouble, which has plagued the former MVP since 2021.

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Yelich was out of the lineup Saturday as he and the Brewers gauge the severity of the issue. Manager Pat Murphy said Yelich would probably also sit Sunday, at which point the team could make a decision about a potential injured list stint.

“It’s pretty frustrating,” Yelich said. “I was running and kind of felt it grab. Hopefully I stopped before I got it bad. Usually I’ll get it, and it’ll grab pretty good, and I’ll know I’m done for. Hopefully this one was before that happened.”

The 32-year-old Yelich has almost exclusively played left field this season after transitioning into a part-time DH role last year in an attempt to keep his back issues at bay. Before Friday, the results had been pristine. Not only had the back issues not resurfaced, but Yelich was generating early MVP buzz, hitting .333/.422/.744 with five homers in his first 11 games.

“I felt like I was right on the verge of [really hurting it] while running [the bases] in the first,” Yelich said. “Then playing defense the next inning, running on and off the field, every step it was grabbing. Hopefully we got in front of it, and we’ll see in the next few days if it bounces back. Obviously, hoping for the best.”

Blake Perkins replaced Yelich in the lineup Friday and played center, with Sal Frelick moving over to left. Perkins would stand to absorb Yelich’s at-bats in the short term, as the Brewers are thin on outfielders with Garrett Mitchell also injured. Production-wise, though, Yelich is essentially irreplaceable should he need to miss significant time.

“This one doesn’t feel as bad as before,” Yelich said. “But you never really know. I’m hoping for it to be quick, but you never really know. It just sucks, man.”