Milwaukee Brewers: The All-Star Case for Christian Yelich

In the first of our individual profiles discussing which Milwaukee Brewers should be in the MLB All-Star Game in Cleveland this July, we start with the team’s top candidate: reigning National League MVP Christian Yelich.

There are few words to describe just how incredible Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich has been playing over the past 12 months.

Yelich had one of the best post-all-star break runs ever last season, propelling Milwaukee to their first National League Central Division title since 2011. His offensive stats, particularly in the final games of the regular season, when the Brewers had their backs against the wall in the division race, were among the best in the closing stretch in MLB history.

It was difficult to envision Yelich topping what he did in his MVP-winning 2018 season this year. He has, however, been even better. He looks set to compete in what could be one of the best and most hotly contested MVP races in recent history.

With all-star voting now underway, we previewed over the weekend who on the team has a case to make it to Cleveland in a few short weeks for the mid-summer classic.

In the first our individual profiles making the case for those players, let’s take a look at Milwaukee’s strongest candidate to be there: Christian Yelich.

No one on the Milwaukee Brewers has a stronger case to make it to the MLB All-Star game than Christian Yelich.

Though the Milwaukee Brewers have several all-star game worthy candidates at the moment, no one has a stronger case to make it there than Yelich.

Yelich’s stats, particularly on the offensive end, are basically off-the-starts so far this season. He either leads or is in the top five of nearly every major offensive category in the league at the moment.

His batting average through 59 games so far (.340) sits third in Major League Baseball. Only Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers (.355) and Austin Meadows of the Tampa Bay Rays (.346) have a higher batting average at the moment.

His on-base percentage (.446) only trails Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (.469) and  Bellinger (.449).

Yelich is tied for third in the league in Runs Scored (50), is fifth in Runs Batted In (52), tied for fifth in Stolen Bases (14), and is tied for second in Extra Base Hits (36).

Yelich leads the majors in slugging percentage (.745), On-Base Plus Slugging (1.191), Home Runs (24), OPS+ (205), and Runs Created (74). He’s also tied for first in the advanced stats of Adjusted Batting Runs (34) and Adjusted Batting Wins (3.2) with Bellinger.

His offensive WAR is 3.7. Only Trout, 4.1, has a higher offensive WAR than him.

Yelich has been hitting at a level rarely seen in Major League Baseball. His overall batting line, particularly in batting average and slugging percentage, is near the same level that Barry Bonds was hitting at in his record-shattering seasons in the early 2000’s, particularly 2003.

Much of his success so far this year has come from the absurd power numbers he’s posting in the hitter friendly confines of Miller Park. In his 28 home appearances so far this season, he’s posting video game like numbers. He’s hitting .438 there, has hit 19 of his 24 home runs there, and has a hardly believable OPS of 1.606 at Miller Park!

He’s still been above the league average on the road though. His batting average in his 31 away games is .259, and his OPS currently sits at a respectable .844 as well.

Yelich has a legitimate shot at a triple crown (leading his respective league in Batting Average, Home Runs, and RBIS), something he missed by just two home runs the season prior, and has only been done once in MLB since 1967 (Miguel Cabrera in 2012). It hasn’t been done by an National League player since 1937 (Joe Medwick).

He’s also on pace to come close to a feat that’s never been done in MLB history.

As these stats show, Yelich is having an absolutely historic run on the offensive end. He’s already a virtual lock to make it to the all-star game given these stats.

Yelich, however, is not just contributing value on the offensive end. His defense has been solid too.

His defensive WAR on baseball reference sits at a 0.4. He’s been five runs above average in Total Zone Fielding Above Average (Rtz). He also has five defensive runs saved (DRS) on FanGraphs, and grades out near or above average in every other advanced fielding metric.

Overall, Christian Yelich is third among position players in WAR (4.1), only behind Trout (4.6) and Bellinger (5.6), and is third on FanGraphs as well (4.2 compared to Trout and Bellinger who sit at a 4.5).

He has been, by virtually every metric, one of the three best position players in Major League Baseball so far. Yelich is what’s currently lifting the Brewers from a just above .500 wild card contender to being in the conversation as the best team in the National League. Between his historic offensive performance, as well as his above average defense, Yelich’s production is nearly unmatched.

Given all of this, then,  he has a flawless case to make to make the all-star game.

There is no argument.

Barring an injury between now and the all-star game, there is no argument that merits keeping Yelich from representing the Milwaukee Brewers in Cleveland.

As stated, he’s been, by every conceivable metric, one of the best position players in Major League Baseball so far.

The only question regarding him is whether he’ll be the top vote-getter. Given that Bellinger currently edges him out in WAR, Bellinger may have a slight edge.

His offensive stats nearly match or exceed Yelich’s, but they’re coming with the best defense in the league too. Bellinger is first in MLB in Defensive WAR (1.7), thanks to his incredible range and arm in the outfield. He’s made several ridiculous plays in right field, including throwing out eight batters.

His Defensive Runs Saved in the outfield already is near many gold glove caliber players totals for an entire season (18). His total, for example, is just two below Lorenzo Cain’s MLB-leading total from last year (20) among outfielders.

Given that Bellinger plays in a larger market, has gotten considerable media attention for his feats so far this year, and has a slight edge in most metrics, it’s not hard to envision him edging Yelich as the leading vote-getter in the National League by voting’s end.

Regardless of that, however, Yelich should be one of the three starting outfielders representing the NL in a few weeks.