Brewers’ Christian Yelich returned to play on Monday, September 23, 2025. He batted first in the lineup and served as the team’s designated hitter against the San Diego Padres.
In the game, the Thousand Oaks native played a crucial role for his team. He got one hit, but it was a big one. A single that drove in two runs and gave the Brewers the lead early in the game.
He also showed good patience, taking three walks, which resulted in him getting on base four times in total. This helped the Brewers score runs and put pressure on the Padres.
Christian Yelich drives in two ✌️
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 23, 2025
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This was the first time this year that Yelich batted leadoff, meaning he was the first batter for his team. Even though the Brewers lost 5–4 in 11 innings, Yelich still made a significant contribution and helped his team stay competitive.
Yelich returned to the Brewers’ lineup on September 22 after taking a rest day on September 21 against the Cardinals. His return was announced as: “Brewers’ Christian Yelich: Stepping into leadoff role.”
According to CBS Sports, Sophia Minnaert of FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin reported. This was the first time this season that Yelich batted in the leadoff spot.
As a result, Sal Frelick moved down to the No. 5 spot in the batting order. So far in September, Yelich hasn’t been at his best at the plate. In 14 games, he has a .231 batting average, with 2 home runs, 8 RBIs, 1 stolen base, and 6 runs scored.
As for his rest on September 21, the team said he was resting to avoid a “lefty-lefty “same-handed (lefty-lefty) matchup against pitcher Matthew Liberatore.
Yelich’s absence opened the designated hitter spot for Rhys Hoskins. Before that game, Yelich had started 11 straight games, going 12-for-48 (.250 batting average) with 2 home runs.
Christian Yelich Was Scratched Due To Low Back Soreness
On September 4, 2025, the Milwaukee Brewers outfielder was scratched from the lineup due to low back soreness. Fans were worried due to his troublesome back and past surgeries.
The Brewers planned to rest him again the next day and see if he could return for the following series in Pittsburgh. Before this, Yelich had been very healthy.
The California-born athlete played in 132 of 139 games, including 18 starts in left field and 111 as a designated hitter. This was the first time he missed a game for a reason other than regular rest.
Even without Yelich, the Brewers had a strong game. They scored five runs in the first inning and beat the Phillies 6-3. Jose Quintana pitched well, and the bullpen, including Jared Koenig, helped secure the win.
Isaac Collins hit a three-run homer, and Jackson Chourio scored two runs. This game showed that the Brewers can still perform well without Yelich.
However, Yelich has been one of the team’s most productive hitters, slashing .268/.350/.464 with 27 home runs, 92 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases this season.
The scratch came after a long stretch of 19 games in 18 days. Yelich had played in all 19 of those games. Manager Pat Murphy said Yelich wanted to keep playing because he loves the team and wants to help every day.
In an interview with MLB in August 2025, the athlete opened up about the challenges of playing so many games in a short period.
He said, “There was not one thing that hurt it. It was just [playing] a lot in a short amount of time and wasn’t feeling the greatest.”
He added, “And, yeah, sometimes – I did have back surgery – so you’re going to have days where you’re a little stiffer and sore. It’s kind of where we’re at in the season.”
The baseball player further stated that they just wanted to ensure everything was going smoothly down the stretch.
In Case You Don’t Know
- Milwaukee Brewers outfielder is the oldest child of his parents, Stephen and Alecia Yelich.
- His great-grandfather is Fred Gehrke, who played for the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams.
- He has two brothers, Collin (played minor league baseball in the Braves organization) and Cameron (a member of the US Marine Corps).
