CLEVELAND -- How’s this for a (re)introduction to Chase DeLauter, Guardians fans?
The Guardians returned home from their season-opening seven-game road trip on Friday, and DeLauter continued his torrid start to his first big league season in Cleveland's home opener. The 24-year-old blasted a two-run home run in the seventh inning that keyed the Guardians’ 4-1 win over the Cubs.
DeLauter has now hit five homers over his first seven career regular-season games, which is tied for second most in MLB history since at least 1900. Only Trevor Story (seven, in 2016) hit more.
Friday marked DeLauter’s return to the starting lineup for the first time since Tuesday, when he exited the Guardians’ 4-1 loss to the Dodgers after fouling a pitch off his left foot in the first inning. He noted pregame Friday he was ready to go, and proved that and then some.
DeLauter finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs; he hit a game-tying single in the fifth inning.
DeLauter received a warm reception from the crowd, from his introduction before first pitch to each of his at-bats. Of course, Friday was not Cleveland’s first look at him; DeLauter started Games 2 and 3 of the AL Wild Card Series at this ballpark this past October. It’s something DeLauter noted helped him heading into the offseason, as he prepared for his first big league season.
“Getting thrown into that situation's probably one of the most pressure situations you can be thrown into,” DeLauter said pregame Friday. “But doing that kind of helped me just relax a lot coming out after the spring.”
We saw that and then some on Friday. He may not be from this planet, but DeLauter looks well at home at Progressive Field.