This story was excerpted from Tim Stebbins' Guardians Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
SEATTLE -- Chase DeLauter took a trot around the bases in the first inning Thursday, after hitting his first of two home runs in the Guardians’ 6-4 win over the Mariners. Upon returning to the dugout to celebrate with his teammates, he swapped his batting helmet for a knight’s.
"Just something to celebrate every time Chase hits a homer,” catcher Austin Hedges quipped of the unique garb.
DeLauter hit each of Cleveland’s first four home runs of the season; he went deep again on Saturday. But soon, you’ll see other Guardians players donning the knight helmet, which is a new dugout celebration the club debuted this week.
The medieval theme traces to a group outing Hedges organized during Spring Training. Guardians players enjoyed a night at Medieval Times in Scottsdale, Ariz., where they dressed up as knights and wizards. Tanner Bibee bought the helmet and Kyle Manzardo bought a real (albeit safe, blunt) sword.
The idea is as follows: When a Guardians player hits a home run, they get to don the helmet. In the clubhouse after a win, Hedges will “knight” the star of the game with the sword, as he did DeLauter on Thursday. Both props have emerged as a means to build team chemistry.
"You can see a lot of guys [around the Majors] excited to put a helmet on, a jacket on, a thing, a trident. Just little things,” Hedges said of celebratory props that have become a trend in recent years. “You’re into it and it’s something to do as a group because it really is such an individual sport.
"The more ways we can apply team things that bring us together, it goes a long way, especially as the season gets longer.”
The past two seasons, the Guardians handed out a championship belt to the star of each win. The team-bonding exercise was the brainchild of former Cleveland right-hander Tyler Beede, and Hedges, a clubhouse leader, later became the belt’s presenter. He delivered it to “the heavyweight champion of the game,” via a WWE-style announcement.
The sword has emerged in the belt’s place. Paired with the knight’s helmet, the props are one ingredient to the Guardians’ larger mission this year.
Cleveland finished 28th in the Majors in runs per game (3.97) last season, when it bowed out in the AL Wild Card Series. The club wants to emphasize how it believes it has a good offense, and build some cohesion along the way.
“Year after year, eventually things are gonna get dropped out,” Hedges said. “It doesn’t hit the same, and you don’t want something to feel forced. Like, ‘Ah, the belt again.’ That was a couple years ago’s identity, last year’s identity.
“The last two years, we won the division, which was great. We have higher expectations. So there’s certain things we have to mix up and change. We’re trying to be more offensive and win the damn World Series. So, similar concept, different idea."
Hedges had some initial concerns about whether his teammates would enjoy the night at Medieval Times. The night out together has ultimately blossomed into something the team can lean upon all season as they look to achieve special things.
"Those are things that I remember when I was young, first couple times going out with the big guys on the team," Hedges said. "You never forget it. Those are stories you’re gonna tell your grandchildren. We had an absolute blast. I don’t think it could’ve gone any better."
As for the postgame knighting ceremony, well, Hedges noted he was still working on his delivery. It's understandable; Opening Day was his first opportunity at it. It doesn't sound like he'll break out an old-timey English accent.
"I can do my best Bruce Buffer impression," Hedges said. "But what am I going to do, my best Shakespearean? I’ll figure something out."
The knighting did go better the second time around Hedges noted Saturday. DeLauter was, of course, the recipient after he crushed a two-run homer off Andrés Muñoz in the 10th inning, which loomed larger in the Guardians' 6-5 win over the Mariners.
DeLauter has kept the helmet warm so far. The team is coming together around his strong start to the season. Maybe, for now, it will remain the Chase Crown.
"I mean, I'm probably not gonna contribute anytime soon," Steven Kwan quipped. "It might be the Chase and Hosey [José Ramírez] crown, but he's got a good look on it. So I think maybe we just keep it like that right now. And it rolls off the tongue."