ANAHEIM -- Chase DeLauter was a late scratch from the Guardians’ starting lineup for their series opener against the Angels on Monday due to left hamstring tightness.
DeLauter was set to hit second and serve as the designated hitter before his scratch, which the club announced about 30 minutes before the scheduled 6:38 p.m. PT first pitch. Jo Adell moved from right field to DH in the updated lineup, while Angel Martínez entered the starting nine in right field.
The hamstring issue is not a new development for DeLauter, though that does not make it any less alarming. He exited a 5-0 loss to the Padres on Aug. 16 after two innings due to what the Guardians called “mild” left hamstring tightness.
That followed a three-hour, 11-minute rain delay, but it led to the 24-year-old missing the entirety of the Guardians’ ensuing three-game series against the Giants at Progressive Field.
DeLauter returned to action Friday and started all three games against the Rockies at Coors Field over the weekend. He went 3-for-4 with two triples in a 7-2 win on Sunday.
Beyond an 11-day stint on the 10-day injured list in June due to a right rib cage fracture and the hamstring issue, DeLauter has remained quite durable as a rookie this season. He has played 110 games, which is his new career high at any professional level after he dealt with injury setbacks from 2023-25 while in the Minor Leagues.
As he has continued to post, DeLauter has continued to produce. He entered Monday slashing .288/.363/.450 with 22 doubles (team high), 13 home runs and 59 RBIs, with 50 walks and 66 strikeouts.