HEADLINE

Brewers’ Yelich breaks kneecap, out for season

Field Level Media

September 11, 2019 at 3:21 am.

Milwaukee right fielder Christian Yelich, the reigning National League Most Valuable Player, broke his right kneecap during the Brewers’ Tuesday game against the Miami Marlins and will miss the remainder of the season.

The Brewers made the announcement via Twitter after game, a 4-3 Milwaukee win.

Yelich left the game in the first inning after fouling a pitch off his right knee. He went down to the ground and sat for a few minutes, trying to get up a few times before eventually walking off under his own power. Trent Grisham pinch-hit for him, entering with a 1-2 count and striking out.

“I went out there and his whole body was shaking so I was really concerned,” manager Craig Counsell told the Brewers’ Fox Sports affiliate after the game regarding the moment he saw Yelich down. “Just (had) a different look (on him).

“When he got up and walked down the stairs — I saw him walk down the stairs — and I was somewhat optimistic at that point. Then I got the news.”

Yelich, who was given the strikeout, is batting .329 with an NL-best .429 on-base percentage and a majors-best .671 slugging percentage and 1.100 OPS. The 27-year-old slugger has a career-high 44 home runs along with 97 RBIs in 130 games this season, building a strong case for a second consecutive MVP.

Yelich made consecutive All-Star appearances since spending the first five years of his big-league career with the Marlins.

The Brewers entered Tuesday two games back of the Chicago Cubs for the second NL wild-card spot.

Counsell said the team received the news of Yelich’s injury around the fourth inning, while the Brewers held a slim edge but before they blew the lead, setting the stage for a ninth-inning rally. Tyler Austin’s sacrifice fly drove in the decisive run.

“Look, we play the next game, man,” Counsell said. “They scored a run in the seventh or the eighth, and we battled back and put together a nice inning, and Tyler Austin did something good again, and Drew (Pomeranz) closed it out. So we battled to a win. And that’s what we’re gonna have to do the rest of the year is find ways to do it. Guys are going to have to step up.”