Christian Yelich to Avoid Surgery on Fractured Knee and is Expected to Miss 6 Weeks

The Milwaukee Brewers were dealt terrible news on Tuesday night, after defending NL MVP Christian Yelich was diagnosed with a fractured right kneecap. Despite being ruled out for the season, Yelich's timeline for recovery won't be as lengthy as feared.

According to MLB analyst Jim Bowden, Yelich won't need surgery on his right kneecap, and will miss approximately six weeks.

The injury occurred after Yelich fouled a pitch off his knee in the first inning of Tuesday's game against his former team, the Miami Marlins. Yelich remained on the ground, clutching his right knee, before walking off the field under his own power.

Prior to the injury, Yelich was on pace to repeat as NL MVP, as he batted .329 with 44 home runs, 97 RBI, and 30 stolen bases.

While not having Yelich does sting for the Brewers, they've got their eyes set on clinching a postseason berth. In fact, Milwaukee defeated the Marlins 7-5 for their sixth consecutive win, and as a result, pulled within half a game of the Chicago Cubs for the second NL Wild Card berth.

And who knows, if the Brew Crew can rally in Yelich's absence, and somehow propel themselves into the World Series, the timeline for their star outfielder could see him return for the championship, though that's a long shot, to say the least.