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Brewers rocked as Yelich’s back flare-up threatens momentum 1 Aug 30, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich (22) celebrates with team mates in the duout after hitting a solo home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the ninth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Awed Christian Yelich never 'envisioned' Brewers’ 5 division crowns, 7 playoff berths since his 2018 arrival

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By John Sbisa | Last updated Sep 22, 2025 6:50 PM ET

The offseason ahead of the 2018 season, the Milwaukee Brewers pulled off a blockbuster with the Marlins to acquire Christian Yelich in exchange for a quartet of prospects – none of whom is still in the majors. Outfielder Lewis Brinson, then the 13th-ranked prospect in baseball, had the most successful career of the bunch. In 357 games, he registered a -3.8 WAR.

Yelich, meanwhile, has been a pillar of the Brewers’ franchise. He won NL MVP his first year in Milwaukee and followed up by belting a career-best 44 home runs in 2019. He led the league in average, slugging, and OPS both seasons and amassed a 14.4 WAR.

His individual success has helped the Brewers claim five division titles and seven playoff berths in his tenure. For context: before adding Yelich, Milwaukee won the division three times and appeared in four postseasons in its first 49 years as a franchise.

“I’ve really enjoyed playing with a lot of teammates,” he reflected after the Brewers clinched the division yesterday. “I’ve gotten to play with some really good players, some of the best players in the game. I think we’ve built something special here over the years.”

Despite losing to St. Louis, the Brewers celebrated after all because the Cubs also lost, dropping them seven games behind with six to go. In the postgame celebration, Yelich confessed that he didn’t expect this level of success when he joined the team eight seasons ago.

Yelich marvels at Brewers’ success, praises teammates

“You know, someone asked me, in the celebration, if I could have envisioned winning this much in the time that I’ve been here,” he said. “And I was like, ‘Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect.’ You probably don’t envision winning the division, I think, what is it, five times now, and being in the postseason seven. You want to make those deep runs, right. It’s something I take a lot of pride in.”

Certainly Yelich has helped the cause by being a mainstay in the middle of the Brewers order. His stats since coming to Milwaukee : 967 games, 27.6 WAR, .282/.378/.488, 174 HR, 555 RBI, 149 SB. After a surprising power dip from 2021-22, he has picked it back up over the past two years especially.

Last week against the Angels, 2025 became his second season with 100 RBIs. His 29 homers are his most since ’19. After back surgery ended his 2024 campaign, he has taken advantage of being healthy his time around.

Awed Christian Yelich never Aug 15, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Milwaukee Brewers designated hitter Christian Yelich (22) hits a solo home run in the second inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Ever the modest leader, Yelich made sure to conclude by crediting his Brewers brethren.

“It’s not because of one person. That’s the beauty of baseball, you can’t win a game just by yourself. Even Ohtani, even if he pitches and hits, he still needs defenders out there that play defense. It’s the ultimate team game. That’s why you get to celebrate with the team, and it’s really special.”

The division may be in hand, but there is still work to do. Three games up on Philadelphia for the top NL seed, the Brewers continue their road trip Monday night in San Diego. They host the Reds this weekend to wrap up the regular season. For Yelich, the final six games are also an opportunity to break the 30-homer threshold for the third time in his career.

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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