Yelich (back) sits for 3rd straight game as set vs. Twins begins

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Brewers and designated hitter Christian Yelich remained in a holding pattern Friday, when Yelich missed a third straight game because of back tightness which flared up earlier this week even before he played his first game after a monthlong stint on the injured list for a left groin strain.

Yelich reported improvement each of the past two days, and manager Pat Murphy said he was planning to take some swings before the Brewers-Twins series opener at Target Field.

“It’s day to day, so we’ll see what happens,” Yelich said.

Yelich and the Brewers have a good feel for navigating these bouts, which date back to his days with the Marlins. Yelich had back surgery in August 2024 to address the issue, but doctors warned him to expect minor flare-ups here and there.

Yelich’s IL stint this season had nothing to do with the back. He went down April 12 with a left groin strain and was able to get back into action without a Minor League rehab assignment. Yelich went 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts in his return to the Brewers on Tuesday night, and explained that if he seemed salty during an uncharacteristically terse interview at his locker that afternoon after the Brewers made the roster move to activate him from the IL, it was because he already knew his back was acting up.

“Good timing for that,” Yelich said. “That’s why I was in such a great mood that day. It’s just frustrating, man.”

A return to the injured list remains a possibility if he doesn’t improve soon. Should that scenario transpire, the Brewers could backdate an IL stint by up to three days.

There’s never a good time for that, but next week would be a particularly bad time for the Brewers to be without their unofficial captain. They are scheduled to begin a three-game series at Wrigley Field on Monday, which will mark the first matchup this season between the Brewers and the National League Central-leading Cubs.

"They kind of know how it works,” Yelich said. “It’s kind of up to them of how they want to navigate it or go about it. I’m sure there’s a lot of things that they consider. It’s something we manage.

“It’s not great timing. It’s not a great feeling, but what are you going to do? It’s part of sports, and you just try to get through it as best you can, and go from there.”

For the time being, the Brewers were comfortable giving Yelich more time to recover without landing back on the IL.

“The history, we could just say, ‘Hey, let’s shut him down for 10 days, what’s the big deal?’” Murphy said. “But I think every game is important, and he wants to play as soon as possible. I just don’t want him playing hurt, which is his tendency to do when he doesn’t feel 100 percent.”

So, the sides were prepared to wait at least another day.

“He feels awful about it,” Murphy said. “He’s so responsible to this organization, cares so much about his role and those types of things. He’s pushing to get back, but we’re going to make sure he’s OK, because we want him for the majority of the season, not just these few games.

“We’re going to do everything we can, whatever we need to do, to make sure he’s 100 percent.”