CLEVELAND -- Chase DeLauter and Angel Martínez appear to be trending in the right direction physically. But both outfielders were out of the starting lineup for a second straight game on Wednesday, in the finale of the Guardians' crucial series against the White Sox.
DeLauter (right wrist soreness) and Martínez (right flank inflammation) remain day to day, manager Stephen Vogt said.
“They both are feeling better this morning,” Vogt said pregame Wednesday. “We’ll just have to see how they’re doing. They’re going to do some work today to see how it progresses.”
The Guardians would learn from that work whether DeLauter or Martínez could be available off the bench Wednesday. If they ultimately can’t go, the team’s off-day on Thursday would provide three days of rest ahead of Friday’s matchup against the A’s, in the opener of Cleveland’s final home series of the regular season.
DeLauter and Martínez's injuries came at a tough time for the Guardians (77-75), who entered Wednesday a half-game behind the White Sox (77-74) in the American League Central. A series win or loss could swing the division race one way or the other.
Brayan Rocchio's walk-off two-run double on Tuesday secured the Guardians' dramatic 7-6 walk-off win.
DeLauter felt the wrist issue on a swing in his final at-bat of Monday’s 7-3 loss to the White Sox, when he grounded out in the eighth inning. Vogt said the 24-year-old came in Tuesday “more sore than he has been” during this stretch of managing his wrist issue.
DeLauter sprained his wrist in Game 2 of a doubleheader against the Tigers on Sept. 4. He didn’t go on the injured list, but missed the ensuing four games as his status remained in a day-to-day cycle. He returned to action for Wednesday’s 9-5 loss to the Orioles, belting a two-run homer in his first at-bat, but went 1-for-14 the past four games.
Vogt noted last week the Guardians felt this was not an injured list situation. While there’s no telling whether an IL stint would have alleviated the issue, it clearly has persisted.
DeLauter has had a strong rookie season, slashing .289/.362/.453 with 28 doubles (most on the Guardians), 14 home runs, 62 RBIs and 55 walks with 76 strikeouts over 125 games. That’s the most he’s played at any professional level after dealing with injury setbacks in the Minors.
As for Martínez, Vogt said Tuesday the Guardians think they “avoided something major” after he exited Monday’s loss after seven innings. He appeared in discomfort after a swing and miss during a strikeout in the seventh.
Martínez has a .248/.285/.443 slash line with 15 home runs and 53 RBIs in 106 games this season. His .728 OPS is a 100-point improvement from 2025.
The Guardians have been managing a few bumps and bruises during this stretch run. They have continually kept an eye on José Ramírez’s workload since he returned from left hamate surgery in July. At this point in the calendar, there’s a lot of calculus at play.
The Guardians need their guys on the field for as many games as possible. They also can’t risk anything by pushing the issue. A 10-day IL stint also means at least a one-week absence; teams can backdate that move by three days. That may mean a player misses more games than potentially needed at the most important time of year.
There is a constant balance.
“At the end of the day, we’ve got to do what's right for the player and have them as close to 100 percent for as many games as possible,” Vogt said Tuesday. “Sometimes that means making uncomfortable decisions and holding guys out because we need to do what's right for them, and for them to be as close to their best as they can be for as many games as we have left.”