Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich acknowledges that he benefited from the fortunate moment in his contract negotiations.
The Brewers held a press conference on March 6 to announce that the 2018 National League MVP had agreed to a nine-year, $ 215 million contract. Spring training was stopped less than a week later due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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The Yelich deal was finalized before the loss of revenue from the reduced Major League Baseball season and the labor unrest created at least some uncertainty about the game’s financial future.
“At the end of the day, this is where I wanted to be,” Yelich said Sunday. “I said a lot when we had a press conference, which seems like it was years ago.
“But it’s one of those things that one of the reasons I did it was because I really loved it and enjoyed playing here, and the other is that you never know what will happen in the future.” I’d be lying if I told you I knew a pandemic was going to hit, but it’s kind of how it unfolded. “
Yelich had two years left on his contract, plus a team option for 2022, before accepting the deal that could keep him in Milwaukee for the rest of his career. The 28-year-old has become the face of the Brewers since acquiring him from the Miami Marlins in January 2018.
Yelich won the MVP in his first year in Milwaukee and finished second last year against Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He won the National League batting title each of the past two years and helped the Brewers make consecutive playoff appearances for the first time since 1981-82.
Although his 2019 season ended when his right kneecap was broken on September 10, Yelich is healthy now.
“That is the best part of walking in the field today; just watching one of the game’s best players practice hitting is exciting, ”Brewers manager Craig Counsell said Saturday before the team’s first full practice.
Yelich said he never considered opting out of this season, although he understands why others might do so and hopes more league players will do so as camp progresses.
“You’re going to have guys with different perspectives on this virus,” said Yelich. “Some will be concerned. Some are not. But you must be respectful of everyone’s views and you must take responsibility for taking every precaution, being a good teammate and doing your best. At the end of the day, he remains a stranger. You could do everything right and still get the virus and you could lose up to a month. “
Yelich came to Milwaukee without the mustache he had tried while at home in California during the baseball hiatus.
“I came out of the beach one day, I took a shower, I looked in the mirror, I saw it and (I thought): ‘You know, it’s time. Shave, “said Yelich.” This fast “.
The Brewers will need a great year from Yelich to try to celebrate their golden anniversary season with a third place in the consecutive playoffs, something they have never accomplished in franchise history.
Yelich believes the Brewers are poised to succeed in a shorter season, but he realizes that the truncated 60-game schedule makes a quick start essential.
“This year is unique in that you just don’t know what you’re going to get from anyone,” said Yelich. “You will see that really good players have really bad years. It will happen. Not just in the position of the player, but the pitcher. He doesn’t have that big sample size to get everything balanced, so if he’s got a rough start or a bad start, he’s really behind the eight ball. “
