Christian Yelich has been dropped in the Milwaukee Brewers' batting order for their matchup against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday, Aug. 4.
Yelich's struggles at the plate have been clear throughout the summer. Despite a game-winning performance against the St. Louis Cardinals in early July, he has been in a prolonged slump. The slump has continued with two recent 0-for-4 performances in a row, first against the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 1 and then in a 4-3 loss to the Pirates on Aug. 3.
Manager Pat Murphy made the decision to drop Yelich in the order, citing a need for a change. When asked about the decision, Murphy said, "There's a moment that happens, and you say, 'You know what, this is what's best for you.'" Murphy declined to say when this "moment" came, but emphasized that he believes Yelich wants what's best for the team.
Yelich's drop in the order is not the only issue plaguing the Brewers. The team's offense has struggled of late, evident in their shutout loss to the Angels on Sunday. The team had 11 strikeouts, five singles, and five walks in that game.
The Brewers' struggles at the plate are reflected in Yelich's individual statistics. His OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) of .698 is the lowest of his career. Originally, Yelich was set to bat seventh Tuesday, but when Jake Bauers was scratched from the lineup due to abdominal soreness, Murphy bumped Yelich up to the fifth spot.
The decision to drop Yelich in the order is a significant move for the Brewers. It will be interesting to see how Yelich responds to the change and whether it sparks a turnaround for the team's offense. With the Pirates game on Tuesday, the Brewers will look to get back on track and continue their push for the playoffs.
Source: Yahoo Sports