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MLB Notebook: Christian Yelich to have surgery, Rockies release Elias Diáz, and more
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Photo credit: John Fisher - Getty Images
Brett Holden
Aug 16, 2024, 18:00 EDTUpdated: Aug 16, 2024, 18:24 EDT
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Christian Yelich to undergo surgery to repair persistent back issue

Milwaukee Brewers star outfielder Christian Yelich will go under the knife to repair a back issue that has plagued the former All-Star for most of his career.
In a statement released by the Brewers, Yelich says the decision to undergo surgery is “in the best interest of myself and the Brewers to have surgery with the expectation of being back at 100% for next season.”
Yelich was initially placed on the injured list with back inflammation on July 24th and didn’t think he would require the operation, stating rest and rehab would hopefully bring him back before the end of the season. Surgery was still on the table though, as an offseason operation was still in the discussion. Ultimately, with the Brewers a 9.0 lead in the NL Central, Yelich has decided to pull the plug on his season and go under the knife.
Yeli was in the middle of a fantastic season for the Brew Crew, sporting a .315 average with 11 home runs, 42 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases and cracked the All-Star roster this year for the first time in five years.
“It just got to the point where it wasn’t getting better. Tried everything I could, ran out of options and it came time to make a decision.”
The operation is scheduled for Friday.

Jazz Chisholm hits the Injured List with UCL injury

One of the biggest fish at the Trade Deadline has hit the injured list as Jazz Chisholm suffers a UCL strain in his non-throwing arm.
Chisholm injured the elbow sliding head-first into home plate against the Chicago White Sox to score a run.
Jazz’s availability for the rest of the season was up in the air initially as the question of surgery loomed. However, it seems Chisholm will avoid an operation on the ligament and is hopeful to return by September. Similar to Yelich, rest and rehab is the current plan of action for the newest New York Yankee.
Chisholm has made the most out of his time in the Bronx since the trade, cranking seven bombs, cashing in 11 runs, and five stolen bases while maintaining a .316 average. Since joining the Bronx Bombers, Jazz has hit more homers than Aaron Judge, a better average than Juan Soto, and more stolen bases than everyone else on the team combined… He has been effective.
Despite the surgery rumours and the location of the injury, Jazz isn’t “super concerned” about the injury. However, Manager Aaron Boone says he does “think he’s bummed out because he wanted to be in the lineup.”
The Yanks are currently tied for first in the AL East with the Baltimore Orioles as they have been embroiled in a position battle all year. If Chisholm is able to return in September, the Yankees may have some pretty impressive reinforcements down the stretch.
Along with Jazz, Jasson Domínguez, who is also looking to return from a UCL issue that required Tommy John, could also be among the September call-ups for the Yankees. Domínguez has been effective in Triple-A since the call-up in June, swinging a .280 average, but his power has suffered. Domínguez has only hit one long ball in his last 73 at-bats and didn’t hit one in the entire month of July.
The Yankees have had to navigate around some injuries this year, including one to their ace Gerrit Cole at the start of the year. Despite the constant IL movement, the Yanks have been able to keep the ship, not only afloat, but ahead of the rest of the AL Beast – outside of the Baltimore Orioles who just continually mass-produce talent. So, while an injury to the team’s hottest player does suck, of all the teams who can operate through injuries, it would be the New York Yankees.

Quick Notes:

  • Rockies release former ASG MVP Elias Diáz. The Colorado Rockies have released catcher Elias Diáz, a year after being named the 2023 All-Star MVP. Diaz has struggled recently, only swinging a .196 average since July 1st and only has one home run in over two months.
  • Phillies outfielder Weston Wilson hits for the cycle. In only his 24th career game, Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Weston Wilson hit for the cycle in a massive 13-3 win over the Nationals. The 29-year-old left the double up for last as he smacked an Orlando Ribalta fastball to the opposite field, bouncing off Alex Call’s glove and squeaking into the gap. Wilson has hit .342 since his second career call-up with three homers and seven RBIs.
  • Aaron Judge breaks 70-year-old home run record. Aaron Judge has become the fastest MLB player to hit 300 home runs in baseball history with 955 games. Judge broke a 71-year-old record set by Ralph Kiner who conquered the feat in 1087 games back in 1953. Judge also set the record for the least at-bats needed to reach 300 home runs with 3431, exactly 400 at-bats less than the Great Bambino, Babe Ruth, did in 1925.

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