Brewers name Christian Yelich franchise’s first captain – with Robin Yount’s approval

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich was named the first captain in Milwaukee Brewers franchise history Saturday, joining the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge and Kansas City Royals’ Salvador Perez as the only active captains in the majors.

Milwaukee decided in a team meeting prior to its 3-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals to give the honor to the 34-year-old in his ninth season with the club.

Yelich requested that Hall of Famer Robin Yount, who played his entire 20-year career with Milwaukee, sign off on his captaincy before accepting. Yount was a leader on the only Brewers’ team to make the World Series in 1982.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Yount “agreed wholeheartedly.”

“I really wanted to run it by Robin first because I felt like with what he means here, what his career was, I see him as the captain of the Brewers, so without his blessing, I wouldn’t have wanted to accept it,” Yelich said.

Joining Judge and Perez as the only active captains in the majors is an honor Yelich said he’s not taking lightly.

“Those guys are phenomenal players, probably both Hall of Famers and they’ve done amazing things for their respective organizations,” Yelich said. “They are true professionals and you obviously look up to those guys not only because of the kind of players they’ve been, but the kind of people that they are.”

Yelich, the 2018 NL MVP, was not in the starting lineup Saturday but went 0 for 2 after entering as a pinch-hitter with a new “C” on the chest of his uniform. The designated hitter is batting .235 with 12 home runs and 58 RBIs for the NL Central champions, who have the best record in the majors and have clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

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“It’s been happening since he’s been in this uniform,” Murphy said. “Everybody knows he’s our captain. Anybody that’s played with him recognizes the way he upholds the standards of winning and the standards of how we conduct ourselves.”

Yelich said he spoke “from the heart” in addressing his teammates after the announcement.

“It’s bigger than one person,” he said. “The thing I’m most proud of is seeing where the organization has come since my first year.”

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