SEATTLE -- By his own count, the unread text messages on Chase DeLauter's phone had reached 804 by Friday night. Understandably, the 24-year-old’s cell phone has been buzzing with activity over the past 24-plus hours or so.
“I can't even look at it,” DeLauter said. “I don't think it's ever been that high before.”
Folks in DeLauter’s circle may find there will be a bit of a buffer period before he’s able to respond. But like Cleveland fans are experiencing firsthand, the Guardians’ outfielder is proving well worth the wait.
With seemingly each at-bat, DeLauter is finding new ways to etch his name in baseball’s record books.
DeLauter went deep in his first plate appearance on Friday, in the Guardians’ 5-1 loss to the Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Coupled with his two-homer game on Opening Day on Thursday, he became just the third player since at least 1900 to hit three home runs in his first two career regular-season games, following Trevor Story (2016) and Joe Cunningham (1954).
DeLauter also became the fifth player in Cleveland franchise history to hit a home run in each of his first two regular-season games with an at-bat to start a career. He joined Hall of Famer Earl Averill (1929), Josh Bard (2002), Kevin Kouzmanoff (‘06) and Chris Gimenez (‘09).
“He’s insane,” Guardians starter Gavin Williams said.
DeLauter is staying present through his stellar start to his first big league season. Even after the history he made on Thursday, he was already looking to turn the page to Friday’s contest against Seattle.
That same mentality was evident with his results Friday, but at some point down the line, DeLauter will take some time to reflect on what he’s achieved thus far.
“Yeah, absolutely. It’s something that's hard to focus on right now,” DeLauter said. “I'm just focused on tomorrow, making sure I'm available tomorrow night. It's definitely something I'll look back on. But man, it's a cool start.”
DeLauter got the Guardians off to a fast start Friday. He hit second in the Guardians’ lineup, between Steven Kwan and José Ramírez, got a 1-0 slider from right-hander George Kirby in the first inning and hit it a Statcast-projected 360 feet to right field with a 99.4 mph exit velocity.
DeLauter didn't think he got it for a homer off the bat. The blast just made it over the right-field wall, beyond the reach of a leaping Luke Raley.
“It wasn't one of those ones I got from the sweet spot of the bat,” DeLauter said. “But when you play good angles, you give yourself a chance, you know?"
DeLauter’s MLB regular-season debut on Thursday came nearly six months after his Oct. 2 MLB debut in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series. It followed a Minor League career in which he experienced multiple injury setbacks that limited him to 138 games following his selection in the first-round of the 2022 MLB Draft.
DeLauter’s potential has long been tantalizing. Guardians fans patiently waited for his arrival in the big leagues. Now, two games into his regular-season career, he’s made perhaps as strong of a first impression as you could reasonably envision.
DeLauter’s family has been in Seattle this week; his mom, dad, stepdad, brother, girlfriend, best friend and his best friend’s mom attended his regular-season debut on Thursday. They’ve been having a great time watching him.
“Oh, they love it. It's a blast,” DeLauter said. “They’ve never really been to a bunch of big league ballparks and stuff like that. I’ve got a younger brother out here, so I'm sure he's loving it as well, and girlfriend and stuff like that. It’s definitely different for them.”
As for loved ones who are not in Seattle, DeLauter will do his best to get back to them.
“I'm making sure I begin with the close people in my life and everything like that,” he said, smiling. “But unfortunately, if anyone that's listening texted me, I'm sorry, but I'm just not going to get to all of them.”