CLEVELAND -- Chase DeLauter is a centerpiece to the Guardians’ lineup and the type of hitter who can carry their offense. To lose that presence for any extended stretch this month, as Cleveland pushes for the postseason, would be crushing.
You couldn't help but feel uneasy on Friday night, when the Guardians announced DeLauter prematurely exited their 4-3 walk-off win over the Tigers in Game 2 of a doubleheader with a right wrist sprain.
“[He’s] day to day right now, but we just have to be cautious,” manager Stephen Vogt said of DeLauter.
Compounding a thrilling but painful finish to the Guardians’ doubleheader sweep was outfielder Angel Martínez (left shoulder contusion) also exiting the game due to injury, his stemming from a scary collision in shallow left field with shortstop Brayan Rocchio.
DeLauter started in right field and went 2-for-3 with two doubles in the Guardians’ 7-6 walk-off win in Game 1 of the twin bill. He was in the lineup as the designated hitter for the nightcap, and went 0-for-2 with a groundout in the first inning and a strikeout in the third.
Vogt said DeLauter felt the wrist issue on his final swing of his at-bat in the third. He whiffed on a changeup on the inner half from lefty Andrew Sears, and Travis Bazzana pinch-hit for him in the sixth inning.
DeLauter’s sprain diagnosis was unnerving news. For now, the Guardians are hopeful this will not be an injured list situation.
“We don’t think so,” Vogt said. “We’re very much day to day right now. We just need to see how he feels coming in [Saturday].”
Bazzana finished 2-for-3 with a game-tying two-run home run and a walk-off single.
The Guardians have been mindful of DeLauter’s physical status all season, after he dealt with multiple injury setbacks in the Minor Leagues from 2023-25. Recently, he had a nagging left hamstring issue that sidelined him for Cleveland’s series against the Giants (Aug. 18-20). He was then out of the starting lineup for the club’s three-game series against the Angels (Aug. 24-26).
With where we are on the calendar, the Guardians have every reason to be cautious. They have 20 regular-season games remaining. Any visions of them making a sustained run down the stretch and in October include DeLauter, who has shined as a rookie this season.
Through 120 games, DeLauter has slashed .294/.365/.458 with 28 doubles, 13 home runs, 60 RBIs and 51 walks and 74 strikeouts. He could become the first rookie in franchise history to finish in the top five in the American League in batting average since “Shoeless” Joe Jackson did in 1911.
DeLauter ended Friday ranked fourth in the AL in batting average.
We didn’t know DeLauter was injured in his final at-bat Friday, but Martínez’s injury played out in slow motion. The sight of him and Rocchio each laying face down in shallow left field after colliding with one another in pursuit of a flyball immediately brought Vogt jogging out of the third-base dugout at Progressive Field.
The hope remains that it was not as bad as it looked.
“Just an abundance of caution, we took him out,” Vogt said. “We're hoping that Angel’s good to go.”
With two outs in the fourth, Tigers right fielder Zach McKinstry hit a flare to shallow left field. Rocchio (who belted a grand slam and a walk-off solo homer in Game 1) began to jog back in pursuit of the ball as Martínez hustled forward. After Rocchio got to the spot, he extended his right arm outward toward Martínez and appeared to call for the ball.
Martínez tried to pull up but lost his footing. His feet slid forward and collided with Rocchio before they came out from underneath him. Both players hit the ground hard; Martínez felt the issue in his left shoulder.
Martínez was due up second in the bottom of the fourth and remained in the game for his at-bat, when he was called out on strikes. He felt the issue while taking a swing, prompting his exit. First baseman Nathaniel Lowe entered in Martínez’s place in the lineup in the top of the fifth, while starting first baseman David Fry moved to left field.
In 98 games this season, Martínez has a .245/.283/.434 slash line with 18 doubles and a career-high 14 home runs. He previously spent about one month on the 10-day injured list with a non-displaced left foot fracture, from June 16 to July 24.