PITTSBURGH -- A flare-up of Christian Yelich's occasionally balky back has forced the Brewers' slugger to withdraw from Monday¡¯s Home Run Derby, a decision it was clear he didn¡¯t take lightly.

Major League Baseball on Sunday named Matt Chapman of the Oakland A¡¯s as the replacement for Yelich, who was to be the event¡¯s top seed as the MLB leader with 31 home runs. He has missed a handful of games with back tightness but was a ¡°go¡± for the Derby as recently as Friday, when Yelich and his chosen pitcher, former Marlins coach Pat Shine, participated in a timed practice for the event at PNC Park that went so well that the Pittsburgh police received a call reporting an unusually steady barrage of baseballs sailing into the Allegheny River.

But by Sunday, Yelich was held out of the Brewers¡¯ lineup for their first half finale against the Pirates, and he was forced to make what he called the ¡°very hard¡± decision to bow out of the Derby.

¡°I definitely don¡¯t want to disappoint anyone or go back on a commitment that I made,¡± Yelich said. ¡°I was weighing both sides. I have people traveling, people looking forward to me participating in the Derby -- close friends and family. Fans as well.

¡°But I have people in this clubhouse and organization, a lot of people that are counting on me to be ready for the rest of the season. Unfortunately, I just wasn¡¯t going to be able to do it. It was definitely a tough decision and I¡¯m definitely disappointed I can¡¯t participate. I was really looking forward to it and it was something I really wanted to be a part of. Hopefully I¡¯m fortunate enough to have another opportunity to do it here in the future. It just didn¡¯t work out this year.¡±

Yelich said his flare-up happened Saturday during the Brewers¡¯ rain-delayed loss at PNC Park. After a sleepless night and consultation with president of operations David Stearns and manager Craig Counsell, he made what he felt was the right decision.

As for the All-Star Game itself, Yelich still hopes to participate. He was the leading vote-getter among all National League players, and manager Dave Roberts has said he planned to start Yelich in right field.

¡°I¡¯d still like to try and play. I think I¡¯ll be able to,¡± Yelich said. ¡°I just didn¡¯t think I was going to be able to do that kind of volume of swings for what the Derby demanded. If I wasn¡¯t going to be able to perform how I was supposed to and do it justice that it definitely deserved, I just didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be a great idea to do it.

¡°Disappointed, definitely. It was something that I really, really wanted to do. I was definitely looking forward to it. I had a lot of excitement.¡±

The first red flag about his health emerged Sunday morning, when Counsell posted a starting lineup for the Brewers¡¯ first half finale later than usual, and it did not include Yelich.

¡°Just looking at him, I felt like we were at the red line with him, so to speak, and that a day here, he needs it,¡± Counsell said. ¡°It¡¯s important that we don¡¯t get past that red line. So that¡¯s where we¡¯re at.¡±

Chapman will take Yelich¡¯s spot in the Home Run Derby bracket and will face Blue Jays rookie Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the first round.

¡°We spent a lot of time talking about it ¡­ but in the end, he¡¯s got a back issue right now, and it¡¯s scary to do an event like that with a back issue,¡± Counsell said. That¡¯s the bottom line. He¡¯s got some spasms on the lower-right side. It¡¯s similar to that issue [earlier this year], and this is just not the event you do when that¡¯s what¡¯s going on with your body. He¡¯s really making a decision for us. That¡¯s what he¡¯s doing. And it¡¯s not an easy decision, because he really wants to do it, and he thinks he can win it. But he also doesn¡¯t want to risk missing games in the second half of the season.¡±

Counsell is hopeful that Yelich starts the All-Star Game. The Derby and the game itself, he argued, and two different animals.

¡°This is not something you take lightly -- he¡¯s starting an All-Star Game,¡± Counsell said. ¡°That¡¯s not a shoo it away-type of thing. And this is not an injured list-type of injury, by any means. I¡¯d like him to play if he¡¯s able. If he¡¯s able to play and he wants to play, I think that¡¯s a great idea.¡±

Yelich is already eyeing next year¡¯s Home Run Derby. The All-Star Game is being hosted by the Los Angeles Angels in Yelich¡¯s extended hometown.

¡°It doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll never get to do it ever,¡± Yelich said. ¡°There¡¯s always next year, or sometime in the future.¡±