Yelich opens camp at full strength, expects to make Opening Day - ESPN

PHOENIX — Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich says he will be ready for the start of the season.

Six months removed from back surgery that brought a premature end to a resurgent season, Yelich arrived in camp Saturday at full strength with his sights set on an even better 2025 campaign.

«I saw before I came here that I might be a question mark for Opening Day and I'm not sure where that came from,» the 2018 NL MVP said. «Unless something crazy happens here, I don't see why I wouldn't be ready.»

The Brewers open the season March 27 at Yankee Stadium.

Yelich, 33, batted .315 with a .406 on-base percentage, .504 slugging percentage, 11 homers, 42 RBI and 21 steals in 73 games last year before undergoing season-ending back surgery. His final game of the 2024 season came on July 23.

The hope was that the surgery would enable him to be ready for the start of this season while finally ending this lingering issue and preventing further extended absences in the future.

«Once we got in there and did the operation and found the problem, it was like, 'This is probably not very good,'» Yelich said. «So, yeah, it's kind of nice to be on the other side of it, and hopefully there are a lot less problems going forward.»

Along with being able to swing a bat without pain, something he started doing in January this year, Yelich says he doesn't expect to be limited defensively. He plans on returning to his usual spot in left field when the season begins.

Manager Pat Murphy appears to be on the same page, noting that Yelich «is still our left fielder,» though he'll rotate him through the designated hitter spot along with other players such as catcher William Contreras and first baseman Rhys Hoskins.

«I still feel like I'm capable of