Milwaukee Brewers All-Star outfielder Christian Yelich plans to rest and rehab his back injury rather than undergo season-ending surgery, a source told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.
Surgery remains a strong possibility for Yelich in the offseason, Rosenthal adds.
The Brewers placed Yelich on the injured list with inflammation in his lower back on Wednesday. The 2018 NL MVP also missed three weeks earlier this season with a low back strain.
Yelich was expected to see a spine specialist to get more clarity about his recurring back issues.
"I want to be the best version of myself for this year and going into the future and, obviously, get a handle on this thing so I can be out on the field as often as possible," Yelich said Thursday, according to The Associated Press' Steve Megargee.
The 32-year-old made his third All-Star Game appearance this season. He's hitting .315 with 11 home runs, 42 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases in 73 games.
