Christian Yelich earned Captain title from Brewers long before it became official

There are only three captains in the entire MLB: Aaron Judge, Salvador Perez, and, as of now, Christian Yelich. Currently in his ninth year with the Brewers and his 14th as a pro, Yeli has solidified his place in franchise history and as one of the most reliable bats of the last decade and a half in the MLB. He's been bestowed with an honor few players ever have, and one that no Brewers star ever had.

But this wasn't news for Brewers fans, those within the organization, or even his teammates. Everyone understands what Yelich means for this franchise. He was a star player who embraced the city like few players ever have before, helping Milwaukee re-establish its baseball culture within the locker room to meet the level of the culture that matched the dedication of Brewers fans.

In nine seasons, Yelich has plastered his name throughout the Brewers' history books, ranking third in on-base percentage (.371), fourth in walks (583), fifth in runs (733), seventh in home runs (186), and eighth in RBIs (617). He's done so all while proving that a star player can make Milwaukee a home, serving as the voice of reason and a reliable offensive contributor for a franchise that turned that one decision into the winningest era in Brewers regular-season history.

Christian Yelich has been a core piece of the Brewers' success for the last decade, so his Captain title came as no surprise.

This might have made it official, but Yelich was the Brewers' honorary captain long before this title came to be. He's the voice of reason in the locker room during the hard times, and the rallying cry keeping them focused during their success. Yelich has the respect of every player in that locker room and the coaching staff as well.

It runs much deeper than baseball, as well. Yelich had a real bond with the legendary Bob Uecker and was the first to honor Mr. Baseball's memory when he passed early last year. He's also one of the Brewers' most consistent charitable donors, hosting the annual Christian Yelich Home Plate Charity Concert benefiting organizations throughout the city and region as a way to give back for the fans' support of him over the years.

Being a captain isn't about being the best player on the team, but speaks more to what a player means to an organization. This isn't a title that would be given out without real conversations at the highest levels of the franchise, proving once again that everyone around Milwaukee can rally behind Yelich.

At this phase of his career, he's still an effective batter, but the Brewers can't expect him to be their saving grace every game like he used to be. But the timing of this decision cannot be overlooked. On the cusp of another postseason, this can be another sign of motivation. This No. 1 seed team is capable of going all the way, but they need to be focused.

Getting Yelich a World Series ring before he retires and honoring their captain the way he deserves is just another reason for these young Brewers to enter the Playoffs hungry for a title run. Let's hope they're able to execute when the lights shine the brightest, just as Yelich has for the last decade of Brewers baseball.

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