Christian Yelich Optimistic His Back Surgery Will Improve His Long-Term Health

A week-and-a-half removed from season-ending back surgery, Christian Yelich is back with the Brewers. Facing reporters in the Brewers dugout for the first time since the operation, Yelich provided more insight into the procedure, how it became a necessity, and his long-term outlook.

Yelich said he underwent a microdiscectomy, which entailed “cleaning some stuff out that needed to go and was causing some problems” in his back.

While surgery was not on the table until his latest trip to the injured list, it was not a shocking outcome. Yelich has battled recurring back pain since his days with the Miami Marlins, and the more recent flare-ups were getting worse.

“The [rehab] that we tried, it was kind of a long shot,” he said. “I think I knew ultimately that [surgery] was my destination at some point.”

“His body did not move well for the last four or five years,” Pat Murphy said. “When you swing with that much leverage, and you hit the ball as hard as he hit it… it takes that much torque and that much bat speed to hit that. You’re paying a price somewhere.”

With nothing to lose, Yelich attempted rehab in hopes of contributing to the Brewers’ playoff push and delaying the surgery until the offseason. Changing course became an easy decision a couple of weeks ago when his back was not improving.

By the time he and the Brewers decided on that route, the pain in Yelich’s back was affecting more than just his attempts to play baseball.

“It was to the point where daily living sucked,” he said. “I was really uncomfortable. There was a lot of pain. It was something I just had to get taken care of, and I’m glad I did it, honestly.”

He and the Brewers have yet to establish a precise recovery timeline, but Yelich threw out three months as a rough estimate. The bottom line is that he expects to have a “fairly normal” offseason and be a full go for spring training.

While Yelich never declared the procedure a complete cure for his balky back, he seemed relieved afterward and spoke optimistically about its impact on his long-term health.

“I think people see back surgery and think, ‘Well, that’s the end of your career.’ But honestly, in my mind, that couldn’t be any further from the truth. I think that it’s going to help me tremendously, and I think I’ll probably feel better than I have in the last few years going forward. So in that sense, it’s cool. It’s a really nice thing.”

The procedure could be a turning point in Yelich’s career. There could be lasting complications that plague him beyond 2024, or he could report to camp in February moving better than he has in years. Time will tell which path his recovery follows.