The Milwaukee Brewers have done something they’d never done in 58 seasons: they named a captain.
On Saturday, Sept. 26, the club announced that outfielder Christian Yelich will wear the “C” on his jersey as the franchise’s first official captain. It’s a rare title in baseball, one that usually belongs more to hockey and football, and most MLB teams never bother with it at all.
For Milwaukee, the move lands in the middle of Yelich’s ninth season with the team and during the best regular season in franchise history. The Brewers picked up their record 101st win on Friday, the latest milestone in a year that has pushed the organization into new territory.
Yelich is one of only three active players who have been named captains by their teams, joining Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez and New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Yelich had one condition before accepting the honor: he wanted Robin Yount’s blessing, "because in Yeli's mind, Robin is the first captain."
Murphy said Yount, the franchise leader in hits, games, and RBIs, "agreed wholeheartedly."
Yelich’s Milwaukee resume already includes an MVP season. He won the National League award in 2018, his first year with the Brewers, and finished second in MVP voting the next season. Injuries have cut into his production since then, but the organization clearly felt he had done enough to justify the recognition, along with the nine-year, $215 million deal he signed.
This season, Yelich has played in 116 games and is hitting .236/.316/.381 with 12 home runs and 58 RBIs. He still has two guaranteed years left on the extension he signed before the 2020 season.
The announcement also comes with the postseason right around the corner. Milwaukee has two games left in the regular season, then will open the playoffs with a bye before hosting a best-of-five NL Division Series.
And with the franchise still chasing its first World Series title, the Brewers have now added a new label to the clubhouse leadership mix.
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