Christian Yelich Injury: Brewers place former MVP on 10-day IL with lower back strain
Christian Yelich has gotten off to a strong start for the Milwaukee Brewers. However, he left Friday's matchup against the Baltimore Orioles early due to lower back discomfort.
The club announced on Tuesday that Yelich would be placed on the 10-day IL retroactive to Saturday. The veteran outfielder is dealing with a lower back strain.
In a corresponding move, utilityman Owen Miller has been recalled from Triple-A. Through 13 games with Nashville, Miller is hitting .353 with three doubles and a triple.
This is not the first time Christian Yelich has experienced back issues
Over the course of Christian Yelich's career, his back has given him a considerable amount of trouble. He has been placed on the injured list 10 different times just for his back alone.
Fortunately, Yelich is coming off two relatively healthy seasons, but another back injury is surely a cause for concern. He is the team's leader, and they are a much better team with him in the lineup than without. Through 11 games, the slugger is hitting .333/.422/.744 with a team-leading five home runs.
Yelich is taking medication for his back, and the club hopes that it will aid him in his recovery. While he is on the 10-day IL, it is unclear whether he will be healthy enough to take the field when that time is up.
Blake Perkins has seen an increase in playing time since Yelich had to leave Friday's game against the Orioles early. He has been used in center field with Sal Frelick moving to left field in their series against the Padres.
The rest of the club must step up without their veteran outfielder around, which should not be a problem. Much of the lineup is hitting or is close to hitting .300.