The Cleveland Guardians are in a tough spot with Chase DeLauter's first injury at the MLB level.
Chase DeLauter has always had the potential to be an All-Star caliber player for the Cleveland Guardians. He showed that at the beginning of th 2026 season with his historic home run streak.
However, it took the 24-year-old longer than expected to reach the Major Leagues because of injuries sustained throughout his Minor League career.
The good news is that DeLauter has, for the most part, avoided any significant injuries that have caused him to miss playing time throughout his rookie season, well, until now.
On Saturday, DeLauter was removed from Cleveland’s game against the Detroit Tigers after he collided with the wall while tracking a line drive. The outfielder was clearly in discomfort and left immediately following his first at-bat of the game.
Manager Stephen Vogt DeLauter said he underwent an MRI and CT scan over the weekend to rule everything out.
Those findings revealed a bone bruise and small fracture in his rib. As of Tuesday afternoon, DeLauter is considered day-to-day and is not in Cleveland’s starting lineup against the Milwaukee Brewers.
However, per Cleveland’s skipper, a stint on the injured list remains on the table for the star rookie.
The Guardians are in a tough spot with DeLauter’s injury, and his first ailment at the big-league level couldn't have come at a worse time.
May 1, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Cleveland Guardians right fielder Chase DeLauter (24) bats during the fifth inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn ImagesWith the history and number of games he’s missed over the last few seasons, Cleveland would be wise to be extra cautious with DeLauter and make sure that he’s 100 percent healthy before having him step back in a batter’s box or on the field.
On the other hand, the Guardians are already without their superstar third baseman, Jose Ramirez, for the next five to seven weeks, and Angel Martinez, who was placed on the injured list on Tuesday with a foot fracture.
DeLauter may have been in a slump the last few weeks, but he’s still been one of the Guardians’ best hitters this year. He owns a .263/.337/.408 slash line with 20 extra base hits and 34 RBI so far this season.
Plus, the already injured duo of Ramirez and Martinez account for two of the team’s top four leaders in OPS; DeLauter is the third.
Cleveland desperately needs more production from its lineup to stay afloat over the next few weeks.
Theoretically, that could come from DeLauter; if the pain is just too much for him to play through, the Guardians can’t risk making the injury worse, and something that could potentially linger for the rest of the season.
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