MILWAUKEE -- Christian Yelich is the reigning National League Player of the Week and an NL Most Valuable Player Award candidate. He hadn't missed a start since early July and has been the Brewers' most valuable player in the second half, if not the whole season.
But none of that spared Yelich a firestorm following his absence from the lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the Cubs. In fact, those factors helped fuel it.
Yelich sounded off on the matter Friday afternoon, calling it "frustrating" and "ridiculous" that anyone would question the team's will to win a game against a division rival.