Stearns says Brewers don't know cause of Yelich's struggles

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns says nobody has been able to figure out the cause of Christian Yelich’s hitting struggles over the past couple of seasons.

“I think if we did, if Christian knew exactly what happened, it’s easier to solve,” Stearns said Friday during a news conference wrapping up the Brewers’ season. “It’s certainly frustrating for Christian.”

Getting him back on track is a major offseason priority for the Brewers as they continue chasing their first World Series title. Yelich will make $26 million each of the next seven seasons, though $4 million of that will be deferred each year.

Yelich was the 2018 NL MVP and finished second in the 2019 MVP balloting his first two seasons in Milwaukee – leading the NL in batting average and OPS each of those years – but he hasn’t come close to approaching that production since.

He hit .248 with nine homers and 51 RBIs in 117 games this year and struck out looking with the tying run on first to end the Brewers’ NL Division Series loss to the Atlanta Braves.

“I have to be better,” Yelich said after Game 4. “I came up in a lot of big spots throughout the year and in the postseason as well and came up short. That’s how it goes. It’s part of the game. You just have to take it all in, pick yourself up afterwards and keep moving.”

Although Yelich spent over a month on the injured list with a lower back strain early in the season and later tested positive for COVID-19, Stearns said the 29-year-old outfielder wasn’t dealing with any physical limitations down the stretch.

This marked Yelich's second straight disappointing year. He hit just .205 with 12 homers and 22 RBIs in 58 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season,...

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