Brewers' Christian Yelich likely to miss at least a month with adductor strain

Milwaukee outfielder/DH expected to return in mid-to-late May

Apr. 15, 2026 at 1:00am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fractured, cubist-style illustration depicting the motion of a baseball player in action, with sharp geometric shapes and planes in navy, green, and orange hues, conveying the challenges the Brewers face with multiple injuries.Yelich's injury adds to the Brewers' early-season woes, as the team navigates a rash of injuries to key players.Today in Milwaukee

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder/designated hitter Christian Yelich is expected to miss at least a month with an adductor strain. Yelich left in the fifth inning of the Brewers' loss to the Washington Nationals on Sunday with what the team described as tightness in his left hamstring. The Brewers placed him on the injured list Tuesday, retroactive to Monday, and said he had a second-degree adductor strain.

Why it matters

Yelich, the 2018 NL MVP and a three-time All-Star, is a key part of the Brewers' lineup. His absence will be a significant blow as the team deals with other injuries to outfielder Jackson Chourio and first baseman Andrew Vaughn. The Brewers have already lost five straight games, their longest skid since 2003.

The details

The Brewers estimated Yelich would return in mid-to-late May, though Yelich said he didn't want to put a timeline on it. Milwaukee also selected infielder/outfielder Greg Jones from Triple-A Nashville and transferred left-handed pitcher Rob Zastryzny to the 60-day injured list.

  • Yelich left the game in the fifth inning on Sunday, April 14, 2026.
  • The Brewers placed Yelich on the injured list on Tuesday, April 15, 2026, retroactive to Monday.

The players

Christian Yelich

A 34-year-old outfielder/designated hitter for the Milwaukee Brewers and the 2018 NL MVP.

Greg Jones

A 28-year-old infielder/outfielder who was selected from Triple-A Nashville by the Brewers.

Rob Zastryzny

A left-handed pitcher for the Brewers who was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Jackson Chourio

An outfielder for the Brewers who is currently on the injured list due to hand issues.

Andrew Vaughn

A first baseman for the Brewers who is currently on the injured list due to hand issues.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I'm just trying to go about it the best I can, do a good job with the rehab and get back out there as quickly as possible.”

— Christian Yelich

“After running to first in the first inning, it just kind of felt weird. I just thought it was tight, kept going and after my (next) at-bat, I felt like it was weird.”

— Christian Yelich

“We've had a lot of adversity early. We've faced this before. It just seems different in terms of how it's kind of piled on us.”

— Pat Murphy, Brewers Manager

“No one's going to feel bad for us. You've got to navigate injuries and difficult parts of the season. The guys will be all right. Just kind of hold it down. It's a really long year. There's good times and bad times in a season. You've got to deal with adversity throughout.”

— Christian Yelich

What’s next

The Brewers said Tuesday that outfielder Jackson Chourio is expected to return in early May and first baseman Andrew Vaughn could come back in mid-May.

The takeaway

Yelich's injury is a significant blow to the Brewers as they try to weather a rash of early-season injuries to key players. The team will need to rely on depth and resilience to stay competitive while Yelich recovers, with Gary Sánchez likely to see increased playing time at designated hitter.