Yelich openly discusses his struggles following the challenging Giants series
Yelich's Plate Woes: More of a Quirk than a Sink in Skills
The mighty Christian Yelich, slugger for the Milwaukee Brewers, is having a tough time at the plate this season, leading the team to a 13-13 start, three games behind the mighty Chicago Cubs in the NL Central. After their loss to the San Francisco Giants, the team seems stuck in a rut.
Following the disappointing defeat, the Brewers decided to gather for a closed-door team meeting, as per MLB.com's Adam McCalvy on X, to discuss what Pat Murphy, the team's coach, called the most bizarre poor defensive series he's witnessed in a decade with the team.
Tackling the Tough Times
Brewers vs. Cardinals prediction, odds, pick - 4/25/2025
After the team-only meeting, Yelich was candid with reporters about the team's poor performance. "We've not played well these past four days. In every aspect, it's been uncharacteristic of us, and we've got to clean it up," he said, adding, "There was nothing radical about [the meeting]. We're all aware of what we need to correct... In the Majors, you can't keep making errors...".
Yelich also commented on his crucial error in left field that cost the team the game against the Giants. "It was just a top-spinning ball away from me going to the backhand, and I just missed it... I should have made that catch, but, yeah, it's just a top-spin hooking balls are the hardest ones coming to your backhand, and I flat-out whiffed it," he admitted.
Yelich is trying to bounce back from an injury-hampered 2024 season. He's remained healthy this year after dealing with a back ailment last season. While he's yet to find his rhythm at the plate, in 2024, Yelich recorded an impressive .315/.406/.504 batting average with 11 home runs, 42 RBIs, and 44 runs scored in just 73 games. His current numbers this season include a .216 batting average with a .753 OPS, 5 home runs, 20 RBIs, and 13 runs scored in 25 games.
Insights: Yelich’s tough beginning could just be an illusion, as his advanced statistics indicate he has maintained or even slightly improved his hard-hit rate and average exit velocity compared to the previous season[3].
Though the results aren't always shining, Yelich has displayed powerful individual performances, such as a two-hit game with multiple runs scored and a stolen base on April 20, and a grand slam on April 22. His strong underlying metrics and occasional standout games suggest he's still making solid contact, even if the results don't always reflect it[1][5].
- Despite Yelich's struggles at the plate, his advanced statistics suggest he has maintained a hard-hit rate and average exit velocity similar to the previous season.
- In contrast to the team's disappointing start, Yelich's individual performances have shown brief sparks of brilliance, such as a two-hit game with multiple runs scored and a stolen base.
- After conceding an error that cost the team the game against the Giants, Yelich admitted to missing a top-spinning ball going to his backhand, promising to bounce back from his injury-hampered 2024 season.
- The Brewers have gotten off to a slow start in the NL Central, three games behind the Chicago Cubs, prompting a closed-door meeting to discuss the team's poor performance, including Yelich's struggling plate appearances.
- In the Brewers' game against the Cardinals, Yelich's past success in MLB betting odds might give sports enthusiasts a reason to place a bet, as he searches for consistency at the plate and looks to turn around the team's fortunes.
