The Milwaukee Brewers take on the Atlanta Braves, with postseason positioning on the line. With left-hander Chris Sale to start the series opener, both designated hitter Christian Yelich and center fielder Garrett Mitchell are out of the Brewers lineup.
Instead, the Brewers will start the right-handed-hitting Gary Sanchez at DH and the switch-hitting Luis Lara in center field.
Yelich’s 2026 season hasn’t gone particularly well. He enters this series carrying a .230/.312/.373 slash at the plate with nine home runs on the season. His .685 OPS is on track to be a career low.
Brewers Sit Christian Yelich vs. Chris Sale
The decision to sit Christian Yelich makes sense from a lineup standpoint. Chris Sale is notoriously tough on left-handed hitters due to his arm slot and release point. For his career, he’s holding them to a .203/.258/.287 slash.
Yelich has not hit left-handers well at all this season. In 98 plate appearances against southpaws, he’s hitting just .216 with a .641 OPS.
As a result, Gary Sanchez is starting to get more reps as Milwaukee’s de facto DH vs. left-handed pitchers. Sanchez is hitting .247 with a .921 OPS when holding the platoon advantage.
One thing that complicates the Brewers lineup decision is that Sale carries reverse platoon splits in 2026. He’s holding right-handed hitters to a .206/.264/.287 slash this season. However, the Brewers will consider the future Hall of Famer’s career track record for their lineup decisions.
With that in mind, Sale will face eight right-handed hitters. 2026 breakout hitter Jake Bauers is the lone lefty in the Brewers lineup.
This game features the most anticipated starting pitcher matchup of the season. The Brewers will send Jacob Misiorowski to the mound. Both Misiorowski and Sale are on track for a Top-3 finish in the National League’s Cy Young race.
First pitch at American Family Field is set for 4:10 p.m. ET.
Milwaukee Brewers Announce Christian Yelich Decision Before Braves Game