CLEVELAND -- Chase DeLauter put himself on the map in March with a historic home run surge during the Guardians’ season-opening series against the Mariners. It was only natural to ask him if rejoining Cleveland’s lineup with Seattle in town would prove to be a good omen.
“I hope so,” DeLauter said with a smile Sunday morning. “I hope so. We’ll see.”
The Guardians activated DeLauter off the 10-day injured list prior to Sunday’s series finale against the Mariners at Progressive Field. He was in Cleveland’s starting lineup, hitting third as the DH. Outfielder Petey Halpin was optioned to Triple-A Columbus in a corresponding move.
DeLauter’s wish proved prescient. He delivered a clutch game-tying two-run single on Sunday, when the Guardians scored five times in the eighth inning to beat the Mariners, 6-5. It was part of the 24-year-old’s 2-for-5 afternoon in his return.
Cleveland sent 10 batters to the plate in the eighth. DeLauter delivered the hit off Josh Simpson, and he scored on Rhys Hoskins’ ensuing go-ahead two-run double.
DeLauter suffered a right rib cage fracture on June 13 against the Tigers, when he crashed into the right-field wall at Progressive Field attempting to make a leaping catch. He went on the IL four days later, during a streak of tough injury luck for Cleveland.
José Ramírez (left hamate fracture) and Angel Martínez (non-displaced left foot fracture) were injured the same game as DeLauter.
“It was just great to see him back,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “Obviously, we've missed Chase, just like the other guys. For him to come up in that clutch moment was pretty cool. It looked like he hadn't missed a beat.”
DeLauter did not go on a rehab assignment before rejoining the Guardians. He noted the recovery process in part was a matter of waiting for his rib pain to decrease so he could resume swinging and doing other baseball activities.
“It’s kind of annoying,” DeLauter said of the rib injury. “The small things are worse -- the coughing, the sneezing. Stuff like that sucks more than getting hot and swinging and running. When I'm hot and moving around, it's kind of not thinking about it a whole lot. Waking up in the morning, laying down, relaxing, a lot of that stuff's a little bit uncomfortable.”
DeLauter resumed baseball activities during the Guardians’ recent nine-game road trip and went through a progressive buildup the past few days. He took on-field batting practice and fly balls pregame Saturday and felt good to return on Sunday and perform like he’s accustomed to.
“I trust the training staff to put me in a spot to play every day,” DeLauter said. “I wouldn't go out there if I didn't feel confident in myself to be able to get the job done.”
DeLauter logged his first hit Sunday in the seventh, when he chopped a two-out single with a 104.9 mph exit velocity up the middle off lefty Gabe Speier. While he was stranded on base that inning, the Guardians soon had another opportunity.
Cleveland trailed, 4-1, entering the bottom of the eighth. A Daniel Schneemann RBI single cut the deficit to two, but the Guardians were in danger of otherwise coming up empty. They struggled at the plate all afternoon and ultimately left 12 men on base.
DeLauter came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Simpson delivered him a 2-0 sinker over the plate, and he grounded it up the middle for the game-tying two-run single.
Just as key was DeLauter’s baserunning. He scored from first on Hoskins’ double. However, he could not slide in normally because Hoskins’ idle bat sat in his pathway. DeLauter ended up colliding with catcher Mitch Garver and dislodging the ball from his glove. He said he’s fine after the collision.
“A normal slide, normal play, might have gave him some room to make a tag,” DeLauter said. “I might thank that bat later on.”
DeLauter has emerged as a key piece in Cleveland’s lineup as a rookie this season. Over 67 games, he has a .265/.338/.408 slash line with 12 doubles, seven home runs, 36 RBIs and 28 walks with 37 strikeouts.
Meanwhile, the Guardians entered Sunday ranked 29th in MLB in June in both runs scored (76) and OPS (.623). Suffice to say, they’re thrilled to have DeLauter back in their mix.
“One of the qualities of Chase that really showed through today was just his poise,” Hoskins said. “Even in those big situations, he's just the same guy taking the same at-bat. It's cool to see him lean on that, and I think that kind of lets his talent come out.”