Rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter of the Cleveland Guardians has been named the American League Player of the Week, and rookie infielder Sal Stewart of the Cincinnati Reds has been named the National League Player of the Week. The announcements were made earlier today on MLB Network.
DeLauter, who made his regular season debut on Opening Day, earned his first career award and is the first Guardians player to earn the honor since José Ramírez on July 14th of last year. Stewart also won his first career award and is the first Reds player to win the award since Spencer Steer on June 30th of last year. This is the first time that rookies have been honored from each league in the same week since August 11th of last season, when Luke Keaschall of the Minnesota Twins and Isaac Collins of the Milwaukee Brewers earned the honors. Additionally, it is the second time a pair of rookies have won the first awards of the season, joining 2016 when Trevor Story of the Colorado Rockies and Tyler White of the Houston Astros won the awards. Overall, DeLauter and Stewart are now two of six rookies to win Player of the Week for the Opening Week of a season since the award’s inception in 1974, joining Story, White, Salome Barojas of the Chicago White Sox (1982); and Fernando Valenzuela of the Los Angeles Dodgers (1981). It is the first time that Cleveland has earned the first award of the season since Albert Belle won on April 30, 1995, and the first time that Cincinnati has won the first award of the season since Kal Daniels on April 10, 1988. Finally, it is the sixth time a Reds player has won the first award of the year (2026, 1988, 1984, 1983, 1980, 1979), the fifth time a Guardians player has won the first award of the year (2026, 1995, 1993, 1983, 1979).
Chase DeLauter, Cleveland Guardians (@chasedelauter)
- The 24-year-old hit .353 (6-for-17) with four homers, five RBI, five runs scored, a 1.059 slugging percentage and a .353 on-base percentage in four games.
- The Frederick, Maryland native led the Majors in homers and total bases (18); tied for the Major League lead in extra-base hits (4); tied for third in RBI and runs scored; and ranked 10th in slugging.
- After making his Major League debut for Cleveland in the 2025 AL Wild Card Series against Detroit, DeLauter made his regular season debut on Opening Day, launching a pair of home runs. He became the first player in franchise history, dating back to 1901, to hit multiple home runs in his regular season debut, and the fifth player in franchise history to hit a home run in his first career plate appearance.
- The 16th overall pick in the first round of the 2022 Draft also hit a roundtripper on Friday and Saturday, becoming the first player in franchise history and one of four players in Major League history with a home run in three consecutive regular season games to start a career, joining Munetaka Murakami (CWS, 2026); Kyle Lewis (SEA, 2019); and Trevor Story (COL, 2016). DeLauter joined Story as the only players with four home runs through their first three career Regular Season games.
- The James Madison University product became the second player in Major League history to accrue at least 17 total bases across his first three games, joining Jorge Soler (17 TB in 2014 w/ KC).
Sal Stewart, Cincinnati Reds (@salstewartjr)
- The 22-year-old hit .700 (7-for-10) with a homer, two RBI, three doubles, three walks, two runs scored, a 1.300 slugging percentage and a .769 on-base percentage in three games.
- The Miami, Florida native tied for the Major League lead in doubles and extra-base hits (4); ranked second in OPS (2.069); ranked fourth in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging; and tied for sixth in total bases (13).
- The 32nd overall pick in the first round of the 2022 Draft reached base 10 times in his first three games of the year, tied for third-most by a Reds player since 1900 behind Kal Daniels (11 in 1988) and Hall of Famer Joe Morgan (11 in 1976). His seven hits and 10 times on base are the most by a Reds rookie in the first three games of a season since 1958.
- The rookie first baseman became the sixth rookie in the expansion era (since 1961) to reach base at least three times in each of his club’s first three games of the season, and the first since Cleveland’s Steven Kwan in 2022. Regardless of rookie status, Stewart is the fifth Reds batter to achieve the feat (sixth occurrence), joining Hall of Famer Barry Larkin (2001), Daniels (1988), Morgan (1975 & 1976); and Ival Goodman (1937). Last season against the Dodgers, Stewart had two hits and became the first Reds rookie since RBI became an official stat in 1920 to tally three RBI in a Postseason game.
- The Westminster Christian School product hammered a home run on Saturday, marking the sixth longball of his career. His six home runs are tied with Chris Dickerson (2008), Josh Hamilton (2007) and Hall of Famer Frank Robinson (1956) for second-most by a Red in his first 20 career games dating back to 1900. Aristides Aquino holds the club record with 11 homers in his first 20 career games spanning the 2018-19 seasons.
Other noteworthy AL performances last week included catcher Shea Langeliers (.500 BA, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R, 1 BB, 1.250 SLG, .538 OBP) of the Athletics; designated hitter Yandy Díaz (.563 BA, 5 RBI, 3 R, 1 BB, .625 SLG, .588 OBP) of the Tampa Bay Rays; outfielder Wilyer Abreu (.462 BA, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, 1.077 SLG, .462 OBP) of the Boston Red Sox; rookie first baseman Munetaka Murakami (.333 BA, 3 HR, 3 RBI, 4 R, 4 BB, 1.333 SLG, .538 OBP) of the Chicago White Sox; starting pitcher Emerson Hancock (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 GS, 6.0 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 9 SO) and outfielder Luke Raley (.286 BA, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R, 1 BB, .929 SLG) of the Seattle Mariners; outfielder Mike Trout (.462 BA, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 5 R, 1 SB, 7 BB, .923 SLG, .650 OBP) of the Los Angeles Angels; shortstop Andrés Giménez (.545 BA, 4 RBI, 1 SB, 1 BB, .727 SLG, .583 OBP) of the Toronto Blue Jays; and rookie infielder Kevin McGonigle (.417, 4 RBI, 2 2B, 1 BB, 2 R) of the Detroit Tigers.
Other noteworthy NL performances last week included second baseman Brandon Lowe (.417 BA, 3 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB, 1.250 SLG, .500 OBP) of the Pittsburgh Pirates; outfielder Joey Wiemer (1.000 BA, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB, 2.333 SLG, 1.000 OBP) of the Washington Nationals; outfielder Christian Yelich (.600 BA, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 4 R, 1 SB, 1 BB, .900 SLG, .636 OBP) and starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski (1-0, 1.80 ERA, 1 GS, 5.0 IP, 2 H, 3 BB, 11 SO) of the Milwaukee Brewers; outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (.455 BA, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 3 R, 3 BB, .727 SLG, .571 OBP) of the New York Mets; outfielder Owen Caissie (.500 BA, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 R, 1 SB, 1.000 SLG, .500 OBP) and starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 GS, 7.0 IP, 4 H, 2 BB, 5 SO) of the Miami Marlins; starting pitcher Cristopher Sánchez (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 GS, 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 BB, 10 SO) of the Philadelphia Phillies; and rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt (.308, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 2 R) of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Play of the Week
Acrobatic Diving Stop by Nasim Nuñez of the Washington Nationals
March 28th at Wrigley Field – Watch It Here
Washington Nationals shortstop Nasim Nuñez earned his first career Play of the Week Award, marking the eighth honor for the Nationals since the award’s inception in 2019. Other Nationals to win the award include: Anthony Rendon (5/26/2019); Victor Robles (2x: 6/11/2019 & 8/31/2020); CJ Abrams (9/19/2022); and Jacob Young (3x: 7/7/2025, 7/28/2025 & 9/22/2025). With one out and the Cubs leading 10-2 in the seventh inning, Michael Busch hit a line drive towards shortstop as Nuñez came across the shifted infield to make an incredible diving stop, followed by an off-balance throw to first base for the out. Additional Play of the Week candidates included Jackson Merrill’s home run robbery, which denied Kevin McGonigle of his first Major League home run; Brendan Donovan’s sliding catch in foul territory; Nathan Church’s leaping catch at the wall; Cole Young’s diving stop; Jordan Lawlar’s leaping catch near the wall; Austin Riley’s full-extension diving catch; and Jorge Soler’s full-extension diving catch.