MILWAUKEE (AP) — Christian Yelich was named the first captain in Milwaukee Brewers franchise history Saturday, joining the New York Yankees' Aaron Judge and Kansas City Royals' Salvador Perez as the only active captains in the majors.

Milwaukee decided in a team meeting prior to its game against the St. Louis Cardinals to give the honor to the 34-year-old in his ninth season with the club.

“It’s been happening since he’s been in this uniform,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “Everybody knows he’s our captain. Anybody that’s played with him recognizes the way he upholds the standards of winning and the standards of how we conduct ourselves.”

Yelich requested that Hall of Famer Robin Yount, who played his entire 20-year career with Milwaukee, sign off on his captaincy before accepting. Yount was a leader on the only Brewers' team to make the World Series in 1982.

Murphy said Yount “agreed wholeheartedly.”

“In Yeli's mind, Robin was the first captain,” Murphy said.

Yelich, the 2018 NL MVP, was not in the starting lineup Saturday. The designated hitter is batting .236 with 12 home runs and 58 RBIs for the NL Central champions, who have the best record in the majors and have clinched home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

___

See AP’s full MLB coverage here