Chase DeLauter is out of the Cleveland Guardians lineup again after he was a late scratch just a game earlier.
Chase DeLauter has largely avoided any serious injuries throughout his rookie season with the Cleveland Guardians. Health has always been the 24-year-old’s biggest question mark, and that narrative is once again becoming an issue for the Guardians.
DeLauter was initially in Cleveland’s lineup for their series opener against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night. However, he was scratched shortly before the game with hamstring tightness.
Manager Stephen Vogt hoped DeLauter would be available to play the next day. Still, when the skipper submitted his lineup card ahead of Tuesday’s matchup, the rookie was once again not one of Cleveland’s starters.
“Chase, in his pregame [on Monday], felt tightness in the hamstring and so it just didn't, we can't chance that,” explained Vogt after Monday’s game.
“He probably could have DH’d but, you know, if he has to leg out a triple, a double, we just didn't want to take that chance.”
Aug 23, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Cleveland Guardians designated hitterChaseDeLauter(24) hits a triple in the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn ImagesThe primary concern right now is that Vogt confirmed this hamstring issue is the same one that affected him just a week ago. DeLauter exited the Guardians’ game on August 16 with the pain.
Vogt said after that contest that DeLauter felt a little cramping in his hamstring ahead of the game, and it just didn't go away.
The outfielder didn’t play in any of Cleveland’s games against the San Francisco Giants, but did play in all three contests during the Guardians’ sweep of the Colorado Rockies.
At this point, the next question is: when will DeLauter be back in the lineup?
It doesn’t sound like there’s a clear-cut answer to that question other than that the Guardians will continue not to risk anything with DeLauter.
“We have to be really smart,” continued Vogt. “We're going to see how he's feeling, but we can't take any chances with him and with any of our guys. We don't want to take chances.”
DeLauter has clearly been Cleveland’s best and most consistent hitter in the lineup all year long. His .813 OPS is among the team leaders, and the left-hander has come up with plenty of clutch scoring hits, too.
Of course, the Guardians want DeLauter back in the lineup as soon as possible, and hopefully this isn’t an issue that will cause him to land on the injured list. The best-case scenario is that consecutive days off are exactly what DeLauter needs to heal up and get back on the field.
However, the team’s manager made it clear that they’re not going to put him back out there until he’s healthy.
