'Unreal feeling' for DeLauter as 6th player to make MLB debut in playoffs

CLEVELAND -- Chase DeLauter took in his surroundings when he moved from center field to right in the seventh inning on Wednesday. He got a good look at the third deck of seats facing him. He was surrounded by a crowd clad in red, desperate to see its team keep its season alive.

At that point, it really began to sink in: DeLauter (ranked as the Guardians' No. 2 prospect and No. 54 overall, according to MLB Pipeline) was making his big league debut, and he was doing it in a win-or-go-home postseason game for Cleveland.

“This is not how I imagined this all would go down,” DeLauter said. “I'm extremely grateful for it -- extremely grateful for the opportunity, and the guys are amazing here.”

Before DeLauter, only five players had made their MLB debut in the postseason. Ryan Weathers did it most recently, with the Padres on Oct. 6, 2020, one of three players to do it that season, joining Shane McClanahan (Rays, Oct. 5) and Alex Kirilloff (Twins, Sept. 30).

DeLauter started in center and hit seventh in the Guardians’ 6-1 win over the Tigers in Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series at Progressive Field. He had an eventful afternoon; he dropped the first fly ball hit to him, picked up an outfield assist and went 0-for-2 with one walk.

“Unreal feeling,” DeLauter said. “Just unreal emotions the last couple days, and then we come out here and get a win and get to keep playing ball. On to tomorrow.”

DeLauter was added to Cleveland’s taxi squad for the Wild Card Series on Monday, a surprising development given he last played on July 11 after undergoing surgery for a right hamate fracture. He had been building up in Arizona in preparation for the Arizona Fall League, and he’d made a trip to Columbus to retrieve his car. He had a few days off and planned to spend them with loved ones.

Plans changed. The Guardians named DeLauter to their 26-man roster for the Wild Card round on Tuesday.

“He's ready,” manager Stephen Vogt said before the game. “It’s making a play, right? It's taking a shot. He's one of our best players we have in the organization. He's who we feel like is going to give us the best opportunity to win this game tonight, starting in center field.”

DeLauter got a loud ovation during pregame festivities when his name was announced as part of the Guardians’ starting lineup. The ball found him immediately in center in the first, but he played the angle of the sun wrong and dropped a Gleyber Torres fly ball.

“When that ball hit the ground, I was in shambles right away,” DeLauter said.

Starter Tanner Bibee and DeLauter shared a laugh in the dugout after the inning. Bibee let him know the error didn’t matter, that it was a tough play given the sun and that he had his back.

While Progressive Field practically held its breath in anticipation after Wenceel Pérez hit a fly ball to DeLauter to start the second, the 23-year-old caught it with ease. DeLauter received a loud ovation, prompting him to wave to the fans.

“That was not only good for me but good for everybody around as far as calming the nerves,” he said.

DeLauter looked cool, calm and collected at the plate. He walked up in the second inning to John Denver’s “Country Roads” to face All-Star Casey Mize. DeLauter worked an eight-pitch walk.

DeLauter later grounded out against Tyler Holton in an eight-pitch at-bat in the fifth inning. He lined out to center in the eighth on a smash that had a 110.8 mph exit velocity.

The highlight of DeLauter’s day came in the fifth, when he cut down Zach McKinstry at third base with an inning-ending outfield assist. It was ruled an out after review, and DeLauter’s 92.3 mph strike kept a run off the board.

“That was a huge play,” Vogt said. “Obviously, great throw, great read. Chase, that was an unbelievable debut. I thought everything about it was great. His at-bats were outstanding. He could have easily let that play in the first inning rattle him and take him out of the rest of the day.”

DeLauter said it was surreal hearing his name announced as he ran out to center field in the first inning. It was another moment when fans embraced him and cheered for him.

“That’s a feeling every player wishes for. It helps you feel like you belong,” DeLauter said. “You feel the support right away. At some point, too, it calms you down on the field. You feel like you should be there and should perform.”