CLEVELAND -- Rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter was not in the Guardians’ starting lineup on Saturday against the Tigers due to a right wrist sprain, which the club continues to hope is a short-term issue.
They will do their part to keep it that way.
“Chase is going to be day to day,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “The wrist is feeling better today, but it's really sore and stiff. We’ve just got to get some good treatment in today and see how he's feeling.”
DeLauter was in the starting lineup for both games of Friday’s doubleheader against Detroit. He started in right field and went 2-for-3 with two doubles in the Guardians’ 7-6 win in Game 1. He went 0-for-2 as the designated hitter in Game 2 before the wrist injury forced him to exit.
DeLauter felt the issue on his final swing of Game 2, when he struck out on a changeup from lefty Andrew Sears.
“It was kind of a weird feeling,” Vogt said of DeLauter’s injury. “So we thought, ‘Let's not turn this into a bigger thing.’ We're hoping it's very much day to day.”
With three weeks remaining in the regular season, the Guardians can’t afford to lose DeLauter for any extended period as they push to make the postseason. He is a major reason why the Guardians (72-70) entered Saturday with a one-game lead over the Blue Jays (71-71) for the final American League Wild Card spot.
Over 120 games this season, DeLauter has a .294/.365/.458 slash line with 28 doubles (first on the Guardians), 13 home runs, 60 RBIs and 51 walks with 74 strikeouts.
The Guardians have been very mindful of DeLauter’s physical workload this season after his Minor League career hit multiple speed bumps due to injuries. He has split his time between right field (61 starts) and DH (52), while setting a new career high in games played at any professional level.
This is the second instance in recent weeks where DeLauter has been held out of the lineup to not risk a short-term injury turning into a severe one. He dealt with left hamstring tightness last month and was out of the starting lineup for two full series, against the Giants (Aug. 18-20) and Angels (Aug. 24-26). He was able to pinch-hit the final two games vs. the Halos, however.
Holderman hopeful for return
Right-hander Colin Holderman (right wrist inflammation) hopes to return from his own wrist issue down the stretch. After the season, he intends to undergo a procedure to address what has been a longstanding issue.
“I've been able to pitch through it and have success,” Holderman said of his nagging right wrist injury. “We'll just do what we have to, from the prednisone or if we have to get it injected. Whatever we’ve got to do to get back for the season, and then we're gonna deal with it afterwards.
“We're gonna get it fixed. It's a small procedure. Then we'll never have to deal with this again.”
The Guardians placed Holderman on the 15-day injured list on Friday. He has dealt with this wrist issue in recent seasons, which included a two-week stint on the IL in 2023, a three-week stint in ‘24 and a six-week stint in ‘25. The 30-year-old has said the injury is De Quervain's syndrome, or chronic inflammation that runs from his thumb through his wrist.
The issue forced Holderman to exit during his Aug. 15 appearance against the Padres. He avoided the IL afterward, but it flared up again on a warmup pitch on Thursday, when he faced three batters and recorded one out against the Blue Jays.
“I was just getting some radiating pain through, so I didn't have much feel,” Holderman said. “I'm not going to not take the ball. I tried to push through. We're gonna get this thing right and get ready to go.”
Holderman has been a great find for the Guardians this season after they signed him to a one-year deal in December. He has a 2.73 ERA in 52 2/3 IP over 54 appearances, while working as a high-leverage bridge arm ahead of closer Cade Smith.
Holderman is eligible to come off the IL on Sept. 19, when the Guardians will have eight games remaining in the regular season. With any hiccups, his ability to get back by the end of the regular season would be in question. It’s already a tight window.
“We're going to be putting ourselves in a good situation without me,” Holderman said. “I'll come back feeling great and be ready to roll.”