Chase DeLauter missed a handful of games for the Cleveland Guardians earlier this month with a wrist injury, and now it has returned.
Chase DeLauter was rolling through his rookie season, for the most part, without raising any red flags about his biggest concern: his long history of injuries.
Unfortunately for both DeLauter and the Cleveland Guardians, the rookie outfielder has now been sidelined for brief periods of time over the last month with separate injuries, and he’s still feeling the effects of one of them.
DeLauter is out of Cleveland’s lineup on Tuesday for the team’s second game of their biggest series of the season against the Chicago White Sox.
Manager Stephen Vogt said that DeLauter felt something in his wrist again during his final at-bat on Monday evening and came into the facility today sore, so the Guardians are holding him out of the lineup.
Cleveland’s skipper said that DeLauter is currently considered day-to-day.
Aug 30, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians right fielder Chase DeLauter (24) advances to third on an error after hitting a double during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn ImagesThis is the same issue that forced DeLauter to exit Cleveland’s game against the Detroit Tigers on September 4. The 24-year-old was also considered day-to-day after that injury, but it took him four games off before he was able to get back into the lineup.
The wrist soreness isn’t the only injury that DeLauer has dealt with over the last four weeks. He also missed four games in the middle of August while working through hamstring soreness.
Thankfully, the Guardians still found a way to stack up a handful of wins without him in the lineup, but not having DeLauter available isn’t a successful long-term plan.
There’s been no indication that the hamstring injury has returned, but clearly the wrist has been bothering DeLauter, and the stats back that up, too.
The initial injury came on a swing from DeLauter, and it appears whatever is making it sore again did, too. Looking at his recent numbers, this injury very well could have been affecting DeLauter well before Tuesday's absence from the lineup.
Over the rookie’s last seven games, he has a .208/.345/.417 slash line, which is well below his season averages.
DeLauter should still be considered a Rookie of the Year candidate, considering how strong his first-year numbers are. However, if he misses even more time, voters could hold that against him when they cast their ballots in just a few weeks.
Even more importantly for the Guardians, DeLauter has been their best offensive player all season. Losing him in this final playoff push could cost the team the series.
