CLEVELAND -- Chase DeLauter being named a finalist for the American League Silver Slugger Award on Thursday exemplified at least two things: The 25-year-old was among the AL’s top outfielders offensively this past season, and he stayed on the field consistently to show it.
The latter was one of the more significant developments from the Guardians’ 2026 season.
“That was a huge highlight of the season for the team, and especially for him,” Guardians general manager Mike Chernoff said of DeLauter last month. “One of the coolest things in our meeting with him at the end of the year [was] he said his body felt so good, he wished he could keep playing.”
DeLauter’s physical history has been well documented, as have the injury setbacks that impacted his path to the Majors. His talent was never in question; it was just a matter of him staying healthy to let it shine. That’s what we saw in 2026.
DeLauter appeared in 133 games, which exceeded his previous professional career high of 57 (set in the Minors in ‘23). He was the Guardians’ most consistent hitter from start to finish, hitting .287 (fifth in the AL) with 30 doubles, 16 home runs, 67 RBIs, 60 walks and an .820 OPS.
“The big thing for me really going into the year was just trying to play as many baseball games as I could, and I absolutely did that,” DeLauter said after Game 6 of the AL Championship Series. “I [more than] doubled the amount of games I've ever played in a year, so I'm very proud of myself for that.”
In the long run, 2026 could be a springboard for DeLauter.
“Our goal and his goal is to play even more [next season],” Chernoff said.
DeLauter missed 11 games in June while on the 10-day IL with a right rib cage fracture. In August (left hamstring tightness) and September (right wrist sprain), the Guardians kept him out of the lineup for a pair of short stretches for precautionary reasons.
Beyond those issues, Cleveland remained mindful of DeLauter’s workload to ensure he played as many games as possible. It was a collaborative effort including the Guardians’ sports scientists, their coaching staff, medical staff and strength and conditioning staff.
A greater workload next season could take on a number of forms, from DeLauter playing closer to 162 games to merely making more starts in the field. He split his time between right field (68 starts) and designated hitter (58) this past season.
“He wants to be in the outfield every day, playing out there every day,” Chernoff said. “We want to continue to help him build the base physically to be able to do that. There's no lingering [injury] issue of any sort or any concern. It's just how do we keep building on that base?
“This is the first time he's ever played that many games in a season. It's a huge accomplishment for him at the end of that to feel as good as he does right now.”
DeLauter soon could earn some hardware for his standout rookie season. But the success of his campaign expands to the foundation he has built for next season and beyond.
“As far as the results go, they are what they are,” DeLauter said of his individual numbers. “They're going to come, they're going to go. You’re going to have good years, bad years.
"The main thing is I was able to keep myself on the field as much as possible and enjoy this ride with the best group of guys I could.”