This story was excerpted from Adam McCalvy’s Brewers Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
It’s unfair to pin the Brewers’ second-half hopes entirely on Christian Yelich. At the same time, it’s fair to say that no hitter on the roster is better equipped to be a difference-maker as the team starts up again on Friday against the Rockies bidding for a fifth consecutive postseason berth.
Our All-Star break newsletter seemed the perfect time to check in with Yelich as he deals with his first health setback of the season, a bout of back stiffness that sidelined him beginning July 12 at Target Field in Minneapolis.
On his back:
“Yeah, I was doing a better job of staying on the field. Obviously, I've had to manage this thing over the years. It's frustrating when it pops up. We kept it in a pretty good place, stayed on it. I was just kind of getting loose, and it decided that that was enough. It just kind of tightened up, and I could feel it grab and go, and once that happens, it's a wrap. It's a different spot than it usually is, though, which is good. So I don't think this one will be a long time by any means, which is good news. Not like last year.”
Is it a good time for the All-Star break?
“Yeah, it’s always a needed time of the year, like, regardless of the season. Those days are nice to have to kind of reset and get your body right. … It was nice to be out there for most of the games in the first half of the season, just have the opportunity to contribute, unlike last year and some years past.
Does he feel good about his production so far?
“It can be better, for sure. Like, I know I'm not doing as well as probably what's expected of me. But I'm trying to find a way to contribute. You just do the best you can, you know? Whether it's in the leadoff spot, getting on base, trying to create runs and contribute in any way possible. I don't know, I still feel like it hasn't all the way been there, but it's been decent. I wouldn't say it's been bad, but I wouldn't say it's been good, either. It's kind of just finding a way. You've just got to keep going.”
On whether he takes a different approach batting leadoff:
“Not really. That spot, when you start the game, if you get on base, good things happen because there's nobody out and the guys are coming up behind you. You kind of find yourself in different situations. I feel like what I have done a good job of this year is getting on base. I can run and can create things on the bases. I feel like that spot is conducive to that. And then kind of just wherever it comes up throughout the game, you come up in certain spots, there's two outs and a guy on, or you get on with two outs and can kind of create some stuff. There's certain spots that the more you do it, you kind of have a feel for the game; times to run, times not to run, just things like that. Honestly, I really enjoyed it. It's been nice. Especially on the road, I think it's cool to start a Major League game. That's pretty cool.”
Has hitting leadoff been rejuvenating?
“No, I think it's just, like, coincidence of when I started playing a little bit better. I was going through one of those streaks where you're just scuffling, and I would have been going through that streak whether I was hitting first or ninth or fifth. Like, it wouldn't have mattered. But I feel like being in that spot, I can just contribute in different ways, I guess.”
On the Brewers’ offense collectively:
“We've been trying. We probably haven't done as well as we would have liked on offense. There's been moments, I think. I think there's been some stretches. You're going to have stretches where it's not going well for you, no matter what kind of team you're on. But it's just more that we just have to do a better job executing when a guy's on second base and nobody out. You've got to move him at least. The guy's got to end up at least on third. We have to do a better job with the bases loaded. We have to kind of just bear down on the little things and try to create runs in a different way besides just the home run ball. Like, the home run ball is great, but when you don't hit home runs, you have to be able to create runs in other ways. Guys are aware of it, we understand. But we just have to do a better job of executing -- and we will.”