Christian Yelich's recent struggles at the plate have led to a significant change in the Milwaukee Brewers' batting order.
The star outfielder has been dropped to the bottom of the lineup, a move that reflects his prolonged slump. Despite a game-winning performance against the St. Louis Cardinals in early July, Yelich has failed to deliver in his last two games, going hitless in eight at-bats. His struggles have seen his OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) drop to .698, the lowest of his career.
Yelich's demotion is a rare occurrence in his career. Originally set to bat seventh on Tuesday, he was bumped up to the fifth spot after Jake Bauers was scratched from the lineup due to abdominal soreness. This would've been only the fifth time in Yelich's career that he had batted seventh or lower, and the first time he had done so since he played for the Miami Marlins in 2015.
Manager Pat Murphy made it clear that the decision to drop Yelich was his alone, and that he'd had a conversation with the outfielder about his performance as of late. Murphy declined to say when the "moment" came where he made the decision regarding Yelich, but emphasized that he believes Yelich wants what's best for the team. "No one cares more about getting it right," Murphy said.
The Brewers' offense has struggled of late, and Yelich's struggles are just one part of the problem. The team was shut out 3-0 by the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, despite Jacob Misiorowski's dominant performance. The offense fell flat with 11 strikeouts, five singles, and five walks.
Murphy acknowledged that the team needs a spark, and that Yelich's demotion could be a catalyst for change. "There comes a point where you want something to change, you want something to spark, you want a different direction," he said.
The Brewers face a crucial stretch of games in the coming weeks, and Yelich's performance will be closely watched. With his demotion, Yelich will have the opportunity to prove himself and work his way back up the batting order. The question now is whether he can turn his season around and help the Brewers stay in contention for a playoff spot.
Source: Yahoo Sports