Christian Yelich will not be in the Milwaukee Brewers' starting lineup for Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The decision reflects the Brewers' strategy to optimize matchups against the Dodgers' left-handed pitcher Tarik Skubal.
Yelich, who was recently named the Brewers' team captain, is available to enter the game as a pinch-hitter. "It’s about our team and what’s best for our team today," Brewers manager Pat Murphy told reporters before the game. "It might not be the whole game, but it’s what’s best for our team today. You look at matchups, history, how a guy pitches a guy."
The Brewers and Dodgers have a recent history of playoff encounters, with Los Angeles winning every series between the two teams over the past nine postseasons.
Yelich, a native of Southern California, attended Westlake High School in Thousand Oaks, graduating in 2010. He was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the first round of the 2010 MLB Draft. He has spent the majority of his Major League career with the Brewers, earning three All-Star selections and the 2018 National League MVP award during his time in Milwaukee.