Chase DeLauter's return to the Cleveland Guardians' lineup might come sooner rather than later.
Outside of one game, the Cleveland Guardians’ offense has mightily struggled in the absence of the injured trio of Angel Martinez, Chase DeLauter, and Jose Ramirez. The latter two are still weeks away from a potential return to the field, and that’s if everything goes as planned.
The good news is that it sounds like DeLauter is much closer to a return after fracturing a piece of his rib in a collision with the outfield wall nearly a week and a half ago.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt gave an update on DeLauter’s status ahead of Cleveland’s series against the Chicago White Sox.
The rookie is back to partaking in baseball activities, such as hitting, running, and throwing.
As of right now, there’s no targeted date for DeLauter’s potential return, but Cleveland is hopeful that he could be activated sometime during their upcoming homestand, which starts against the Seattle Mariners this Friday (per MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins).
For reference, DeLauter was added to the 10-day injured list on June 14. The earliest that he could be activated off the IL is on Wednesday, June 24.
Mar 27, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Cleveland Guardians right fielder Chase DeLauter (24) hits a solo home run during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn ImagesIt never felt like this injury would keep DeLauter out too long. The Guardians initially hesitated to put him on the injured list in the first place, and instead considered him day-to-day.
The Guardians offense really does need a spark, especially with DeLauter, Ramirez, and Martinez all being sidelined. Cleveland’s offense has really scuffled in their absence.
Since the trio was injured, the Guardians hold a team .608 OPS and a 70 wRC+, both ranking 27th in MLB over that stretch.
DeLauter has cooled off at the plate since his hot start, but he’s still one of the Guardians’ best hitters, even when everyone is healthy. The 24-year-old owns a .263/.337/.408 slash line so far during his rookie season.
Cleveland definitely needs to be cautious with DeLauter, given the nature of the injury and his history of ailments. As bad as the Guardians need DeLauter back in the lineup right now, they also need him healthy for the rest of the season.
With that in mind, it does sound like the rookie could be ready to get back in the lineup soon.
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