Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) said he underwent a microdiscectomy and said he'll have a rough timeline of three months. By the time Yelich and the Brewers had decided in the surgical route, the pain was impacting his day-to-day life, not just baseball activity. He thinks the surgery will help alleviate the chronic back issues he's dealt with for years. "I think everybody sees back surgery, and they kind of are like, 'Oh, that's the end of your career.' Honestly, in my mind, that couldn't be any farther from the truth. I think that it's going to help me tremendously. I think I'll probably feel a lot better than I have in the last few years going forward, so in that sense, it's cool," Yelich said. The 32-year-old should be ready for the start of spring training, but fantasy managers are going to be hesitant to pull the trigger on an aging outfielder coming off a serious back surgery.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) will undergo season-ending surgery on Friday. Yelich had been attempting a non-surgical comeback from lower-back inflammation, but he's instead opted to have a procedure as treatment for the injury. It's a tough break for fantasy managers and the first-place Brewers, who had both been hoping to get him back into the mix for the stretch run this season. Yelich expects to be healthy in time for the 2025 campaign. The 32-year-old All-Star left fielder's year ends after he slashed an outstanding .315/.406/.504 with 11 home runs, 42 RBI, 44 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases over 315 plate appearances. Sal Frelick and Garrett Mitchell should handle consistent at-bats in Milwaukee's outfield against right-handed pitching the rest of the way.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) intends to rest and rehab his injured back rather than undergo surgery that would have been season-ending, according to a source. However, offseason surgery is a strong possibility. Yelich was placed on the 10-day injured list with more lower-back issues on Wednesday and is out for the foreseeable future, considering this is the second time he's been on the IL this year due to back issues. The three-time All-Star will rest his back for now, but it doesn't guarantee that he won't eventually elect for surgery before the end of the 2024 season. The 32-year-old needs to be stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues for the time being as long as he still plans on returning this year. Until he's able to return, Blake Perkins and Gary Sanchez could see more playing time with Yelich out of action.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) will see a spine specialist on Thursday to discuss his next steps, including the possibility of season-ending back surgery. Yelich was put on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday for the second time this year due to lower-back inflammation, but the 32-year-old veteran has had back issues beyond just this season. Until we know for sure that Yelich won't play again in 2024, fantasy managers will need to keep him stashed. Losing him for the rest of the year would be a huge blow to the Brew Crew, as he is hitting .315/.406/.504 with a .909 OPS, 11 homers, 42 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 270 at-bats. Now that Yelich is out for the foreseeable future and potentially the rest of the year, catcher Gary Sanchez (calf), who returned from the IL on Wednesday, figures to see most of the at-bats as the designated hitter moving forward.

The Milwaukee Brewers placed outfielder Christian Yelich (back) on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday with lower-back inflammation and reinstated catcher Gary Sanchez (calf) from the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move. It will be the second time this year that Yelich has had to go on the IL for a back issue, which is very concerning for the Brewers and fantasy managers. He was removed from Tuesday night's win early against the division-rival Chicago Cubs and is most likely going to need more than 10 days to recover. It wouldn't be a surprise if the 32-year-old is forced to miss significant time in the second half. Although Sanchez isn't starting in the series finale on Wednesday against the Cubbies, the veteran catcher figures to see most of the designated hitter at-bats for the Brew Crew now that Yelich is sidelined.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) left Tuesday's 1-0 win over the division-rival Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field early with back tightness, according to the team. Yelich went 0-for-1 with two walks in the contest before departing and was replaced as the designated hitter by first baseman Rhys Hoskins. The 32-year-old veteran left-handed-hitting outfielder has a long history with back injuries, so this definitely isn't what the Brewers or fantasy managers want to see. He was already on the injured list once this year with a lower-back strain. Don't expect to see Yelich in the lineup on Wednesday, and fantasy managers should prepare for another potential trip to the IL. If Yelich misses extended time with his latest back issue, look for both Blake Perkins and Jake Bauers to potentially see more opportunities as Milwaukee's DH.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich is not in the starting lineup on Sunday as the Brewers look to sweep the two-game set against the Minnesota Twins. The 32-year-old has been out of the lineup once over the past 54 games. As a result, Garrett Mitchell will slot into the outfield and bat the seven-hole. Yelich has posted an excellent .320/.405/.511 line with 11 home runs, 21 stolen bases, and a 37:57 BB:K ratio across 71 games this season. Under the hood, Yelich holds a .300 xBA and a .485 xSLG which place him near the top among all qualified hitters. Garrett Mitchell could be a sneaky play in DFS this afternoon as he will face Minnesota right-hander Joe Ryan, who has allowed a 6.55 ERA and a 1.36 WHIP across his past two starts.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich continued his fantastic season against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. Yelich kicked off the scoring with a two-run blast in the fourth inning. That started the fire in what would be a three-hit performance for Yelich. He finished the day 3-for-4 with a homer, double, three runs scored, and three RBI in the win. Yelich is having an outstanding season in the middle of the order. He's slashing .329/.407/.533 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI with 19 stolen bases this season. Fantasy managers who took a chance on Yelich are certainly being rewarded.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich had a huge night in a 12-5 win over the Chicago White Sox on Friday. Yelich went 5-for-6 with two doubles, one run, five RBI, and a stolen base in the lopsided victory over the Sox. Most of his run production came via a two-run single in the fourth inning and a two-run double in the seventh. The veteran outfielder is putting together a productive season for the Brewers, hitting .325 with six doubles, six homers, 21 runs, 27 RBI, and eight steals across 117 at-bats thus far. Yelich should continue to be locked into fantasy lineups moving forward.

Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang, outfielder Christian Yelich and first baseman Jake Bauers are all getting the day off on Wednesday with a left-hander on the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Joey Ortiz is starting at second base and is batting third, rookie Jackson Chourio is in left field and is batting eighth, and Owen Miller is manning first base and is hitting seventh against Pirates left-hander Martin Perez. Turang has been hot of late and has served as Milwaukee's leadoff hitter the previous seven games, batting .296 with two steals and three RBI. Yelich has been hot all year and has picked up where he left off since returning from the injured list with a back injury, as he's gone 10-for-25 (.400) with three RBI since May 8. Ortiz, who's hitting .261 with three homers and 11 RBI in 92 at-bats this year, could be worth looking into as a DFS sleeper on Wednesday in the three-hole.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich went 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI in a 7-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals. Yelich scored on a Rhys Hoskins homer in the first inning and later tripled in William Contreras. It was the lefty's second game back from a lower back strain that caused him to miss about a month of action and he looked much better in this game after an 0-for-5 in his first game back. Yelich and his fantasy owners are hoping he can pick right back up from where he was before his injury, as he was torching the ball with a .333/.407/.708 triple-slash line.

The Milwaukee Brewers activated outfielder Christian Yelich (back) from the 10-day injured list on Wednesday and he's right back into the starting lineup against Kansas City Royals right-hander Brady Singer, serving as the designated hitter and batting third. Yelich will return to Milwaukee after landing on the injured list on April 16 with a lower-back strain. The 32-year-old veteran left-handed swinger didn't go on a minor-league rehab assignment, so it will be interesting to see how he performs jumping right back into the action. Fantasy baseball managers are hoping he picks up right where he left off, as Yelich will return to a .333/.422/.744 slash line with a 1.166 OPS, five home runs, 11 RBI, two steals and seven runs scored in his first 39 at-bats. Get him back into your fantasy lineups in all single-year formats.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) was able to take batting practice ahead of Monday's game against the Kansas City Royals. The veteran outfielder landed on the injured list in mid-April due to a back issue. The timetable for Yelich has been a bit unclear, but the organization gave positive news on Monday. Brewers' manager Pat Murphy said that Yelich taking batting practice was likely his final step in his recovery process. That means Yelich should be able to return to the lineup without going on a rehab assignment. Fantasy managers will have to check back later for another update.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) has reportedly been progressing well throughout the weekend. The veteran outfielder has been able to swing a bat, throw, and run without issues. The 32-year-old recently had a setback with his back issue but appears to be back on track now. The hope is that Yelich will be back in the lineup around mid-May. In the meantime, Jackson Chourio will cover left field and bat ninth during Sunday's game against Javier Assad. The rookie outfielder figures to continue seeing more at-bats with Yelich sidelined. Both Blake Perkins and Sal Frelick will see more playing time as well.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich's (back) goal is to return to play before the end of the team's current road trip, which runs until Wednesday's series finale against the Kansas City Royals. Yelich had already been doing better running and throwing before having his best session yet swinging the bat in the cage before Friday's game versus the division-rival Chicago Cubs, giving him a chance to re-enter Milwaukee's lineup in the middle of next week. A strained lower back has kept Yelich on the shelf since mid-April, but the 32-year-old star outfielder is returning first-round value on a .333/.422/.744 triple-slash line with five home runs, 11 RBI, seven runs scored, and two stolen bases in 46 plate appearances (11 games) this year. Until Yelich returns, the switch-hitting Blake Perkins is worth a look for fantasy managers in NL-only leagues for his decent power/speed combination.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) played catch from around 120 feet in the outfield on Monday. Given Yelich's history with back issues, dating back to last year, it's no surprise that the Brewers are taking things slow in his recovery from a lower-back strain that landed him on the injured list. It's good news that the 32-year-old left-hander is doing baseball activities, but it may still be a while before he's cleared to begin a minor-league rehab assignment. Despite the Brewers slow-playing Yelich's rehab, fantasy managers must keep him stashed in an IL spot in all leagues after he opened the season hitting .333/.422/.744 with a 1.166 OPS, five home runs, 11 RBI, two steals and seven runs in his first 39 at-bats. Until he's able to return, Blake Perkins should continue to benefit from more playing time in Milwaukee's outfield.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) ran on the field on Wednesday for the first time since injuring his back. Yelich hasn't swung or played catch yet, however, as he's progressed slower than anticipated from a strained lower back. Considering Yelich battled back issues in the early part of his career with the Miami Marlins, expect the Brew Crew to take a cautious approach with the 32-year-old star left fielder. Yelich was returning first-round fantasy value before hitting the shelf, slashing .333/.422/.744 with five home runs, 11 RBI, seven runs scored, and two stolen bases across 39 at-bats (11 games). The switch-hitting Blake Perkins has received everyday ABs in Milwaukee's outfield since Yelich went on the injured list, slashing .309/.387/.473 with two homers, six RBI, 13 runs scored, and two swipes through 55 ABs overall, and he's worth a look for those in NL-only or deep mixed leagues who need a stopgap solution.

The Milwaukee Brewers placed outfielder Christian Yelich (back) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to April 13) on Tuesday with a lower-back strain and recalled infielder/outfielder Owen Miller from Triple-A Nashville in a corresponding move. Yelich was put on the IL after not playing since last Friday. This is definitely an injury that could linger for the 32-year-old Yelich, so fantasy managers should be prepared to be patient if he's forced to miss more than 10 days. Keep him stashed in an IL spot in all fantasy leagues after he started the year hitting .333 (13-for-39) with five home runs, 11 RBI and two steals in 11 games. Blake Perkins is starting in center field and batting sixth against the San Diego Padres and right-hander Dylan Cease on Tuesday, but Joey Wiemer could also see additional playing time in Milwaukee's outfield until Yelich is able to return.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) remains out of the starting lineup ahead of Monday's game against the San Diego Padres. The veteran outfielder has been sidelined since being forced to exit early on Friday due to back discomfort. For the moment Yelich is considered as day-to-day, but fantasy managers shouldn't be shocked if Yelich ends up on the injured list. Sal Frelick will bat third and cover left field during Monday's game.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich (back) remains out of the starting lineup ahead of Sunday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. The veteran outfielder continues to deal with back discomfort and will be held out of at least one more game. At the moment, fantasy managers should consider Yelich as day-to-day. However, Yelich could end up heading to the injured list if the issue continues to linger. Joey Wiemer will cover left field and bat eighth versus right-hander Corbin Burnes on Sunday. Fantasy managers should probably stay away from Wiemer in this tough matchup.