CHICAGO -- As the Guardians continue to navigate life without José Ramírez, another key member of their lineup could be back in the mix soon.
Chase DeLauter is progressing in his rehab from a right rib cage fracture, which prompted the Guardians to place him on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday (retroactive to June 14). The 24-year-old has returned to doing baseball activities.
The Guardians were initially hopeful that DeLauter’s IL stint would be the minimum 10 days, and he’s eligible to return on Wednesday. But manager Stephen Vogt acknowledged from the get-go that recovery timelines often change.
Vogt, however, noted on Monday at Rate Field the Guardians hope DeLauter is back on the club’s upcoming 10-game homestand. Cleveland will host the Mariners, Rangers and White Sox at Progressive Field beginning with Friday’s series opener against Seattle.
“He's doing well. He's progressing,” Vogt said. “Again, we don't have a targeted date; [it’s just] as soon as possible. He's working his way back. He's swinging, he's hitting. He's running, throwing. So we're hoping that he could join us at some point on this next homestand.”
DeLauter’s injury occurred on June 13 against the Tigers, when he crashed into the right-field wall attempting to make a catch. Within the first five innings of that game, DeLauter, Ramírez (left hamate fracture) and Angel Martínez (non-displaced left foot fracture) suffered injuries that led to them going on the IL.
The Guardians have struggled offensively without that trio, averaging 3.50 runs over six games. It’s no surprise given DeLauter, Ramírez and Martínez had accounted for 46.2 percent of the club’s home runs (28 of 66) and 36.3 percent of its RBIs (100 of 276) before their injuries.
Ramírez (who went on the IL on June 14) is expected to be sidelined for five to seven weeks. Martínez (who went on the IL on Tuesday) is expected to miss four to six weeks.