Christian Yelich crushed a two‑run home run in the seventh inning on July 28, giving the Milwaukee Brewers an 8‑4 lead over the Cubs and marking his 20th homer of the season–the first time he’s reached that plateau since 2019. Milwaukee rallied from an early 3‑0 deficit, thanks to a four‑run third inning capped by an RBI double from Yelich himself, before he delivered the insurance blast in the late innings.
A Return to Power: “It’s probably been a little too long”
In the postgame press conference, Yelich was candid about the milestone:
“It’s always cool [to get to 20 home runs]. It’s probably been a little too long, but it was nice to get there and it is still a long season.”
That remark underscores the weight of the moment–Yelich’s previous seasons had been derailed by injuries and diminished power. From 2020–2023 he posted just 52 total home runs in that stretch. In 2024, he made the All‑Star team, but only hit 11 home runs before a season‑ending back surgery curtailed his year. Achieving 20 in this campaign feels like a reclaiming of form.
Yelich also shared some encouraging words for young starter Jacob Misiorowski, who struggled early before settling in.
“I told him, ‘It was my favorite start you’ve had in the big leagues, honestly,’” Yelich said.
Milestone Drives Momentum for Brewers
The timing could not have been better. With the win, Milwaukee moved into a one‑game lead atop the NL Central over the Cubs, improving to 63-43 and boasting the best record in the majors. The homer not only provided breathing room late in the game, it also ignited the offense–Milwaukee hit three homers that night, including solo shots from Sal Frelick and Andrew Vaughn.
Yelich’s milestone homer came off a curveball in the seventh–tracked at 71.7 mph, with 105.1 mph exit velocity and a launch angle of 26°, traveling an estimated 385 feet to right‑center field.
A Comeback Season Defined by Resilience
Yelich’s career arc is well known–MVP in 2018, explosive .329 average and 44 homers in 2019, followed by years riddled with nagging injuries and diminished production. Yet here in 2025, he’s showing signs of resurgence: a .258 average, 69 RBI, and 15 stolen bases, accompanying his 20 homers in just 380 at‑bats thus far.
The milestone is more than just a number. It signals that Yelich may have put recent seasons’ struggles behind him. As he said, it has been too long since he last cleared 20 homers — and now that he’s there again, the question turns to how much more he can achieve in the final two months of the season.
Can Yelich Ever Make the Hall of Fame?
With Yelich launching his 20th home run of the 2025 season, the conversation around his legacy has reawakened. But is a Hall of Fame nod truly within reach? While his early-career peak with back-to-back batting titles, an MVP award in 2018, and Gold and Silver hardware gave him a Cooperstown-caliber trajectory, injuries and inconsistency in the early 2020s cooled the hype considerably.
“He’s not far away from being someone who needs to be taken seriously as a candidate,” Reviewing the Brew writer Paul Dietrich said.
Still, Yelich’s overall numbers remain respectable. Entering the back half of 2025, he’s surpassed 1,600 hits, 224 home runs, 200 stolen bases, and sits near 42 career WAR. That WAR figure–Wins Above Replacement–is the metric many Hall of Fame voters lean on, and while he’s currently shy of the 50-60 WAR sweet spot most inductees share, it’s not out of reach. If Yelich stays healthy and productive through his current contract, which runs through 2028, he could still cross those thresholds. A 300 HR / 300 SB career with 2,000 hits would land him in rare company, even if not guaranteed a plaque.
Of course, raw numbers aren’t everything. Narrative plays a role, too. Should Yelich guide Milwaukee to a deep playoff run–or better yet, a World Series–his impact as a team leader would become a stronger piece of his resume. Right now, most analysts place him in the “Hall of Very Good,” but continued production and one more big season could swing that perception. It’s a long shot, but not an impossible one.
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