Yelich homers for first time since back surgery: 'Each day has felt better'
Adam McCalvy
@AdamMcCalvyPHOENIX -- Christian Yelich’s first hit of Spring Training offered proof that his surgically repaired back is feeling just fine.
The Brewers star smashed a solo home run that cleared the batter’s eye in center field during the first inning of Saturday’ 6-2 loss to the Angels at American Family Fields of Phoenix. The result was great, Yelich said, but it’s the process that really matters.
“It’s always good to have positive steps, whether it’s a home run or not,” he said. “If it’s a good at-bat, or you feel like you’re putting good swings on balls, or being on time, that’s what you look for in Spring Training.
“Obviously, you’ll always take the home runs. It’s cool to prove to yourself that it’s still in there and stuff like that. But you’re just trying to build the timing back, the rhythm, just being comfortable being back in the box in a game environment. We’ve still got a ways to go this spring, but each day has felt better, which is nice.”
That’s a positive result in itself. In Spring Training, those can be found in all sorts of places.
“It depends what kind of results you’re talking about,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “If you hit a ball 100 mph and a guy catches it, that’s a result in Spring Training. It’s good to see balls and strikes. It’s good to know you still have your eye. And then you’ve got to hit some balls on the barrel. It’s good to have him do that today.”
Before that, Yelich had gone 0-for-5 in a pair of Cactus League appearances, with each of his first two RBIs on groundouts. Saturday’s homer off Angels left-hander Tyler Anderson brought the first real evidence that his trademark torque is back after he needed season-ending surgery last August to relieve a bulging disc that had long given Yelich trouble.
His workload has been carefully controlled so far this spring, but that’s not a new development. Since coming to the Brewers in 2018, Yelich has won an NL MVP Award, finished runner-up the year after, graduated to the other side of 30 years old and learned to manage his troublesome back. Along the way, he has learned to limit his pregame work to what’s necessary -- a process which remains ongoing.
“I’ve been doing that for the last few years, just to get good, quality reps in,” Yelich said. “I don’t do overkill because you know it’s a long year. I think that’s maturing as a hitter and a player anyway. Whether you’ve had surgery or not, you understand, ‘OK, this is what I need and what I don’t need.’”
The Brewers have much riding on Yelich’s return to form after seeing star shortstop Willy Adames depart via free agency along with his team-leading 32 home runs. At the top of the list of players with the ability to replace that lost power is Yelich, who was enjoying a renaissance last season -- with the NL’s leading batting average and on-base percentage, and an All-Star Game start under his belt -- before his back flared up.
“That’s a valid question, wondering where the power comes from,” Yelich said. “I think we had it at times last year and then we didn’t have it. We’ve proven that we have a lot of ways we can score. Obviously, the 10 to 11 three-run homers Willy had last year, that helps. But he’s not here, so you’re going to have to figure it out. Other guys will step up, or guys build on previous years and mature in the league and learn themselves a little bit more, maybe that can make up for it.”
His own personal expectations remain as high as ever.
“I still think I can play at a pretty high level,” Yelich said. “I feel like I was playing at a pretty high level last year until I got hurt, which was unfortunate. It came on quick. I was feeling pretty good and it went downhill fast. That’s how it goes sometimes.
“I still think I can do it at a high level. You just have to go out and do it.”