The Cleveland Guardians did something that had only been done five times in the past.
They included Chase DeLauter in their postseason roster, and he made his very first MLB appearance in a playoff game.
When asked about that shocking decision, manager Stephen Vogt cited that they desperately needed some help on offense, and given DeLauter’s expertise at the plate, he was a somewhat logical option.
Of course, that speaks volumes about the way the team feels about their star prospect.
Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean they’re going to rush anything.
According to team insider Paul Hoynes, the Guardians will still continue to be patient with their No. 2 prospect, given that there are some major questions about his durability:
“First and foremost, DeLauter has to show the Guardians that he can stay healthy for a full season. He has not done that at any level he’s played at since making his professional debut in 2023. In three professional seasons, he’s played only 138 games with 504 at-bats, including his two starts in this year’s wild card series. I’m sure the Guardians would be more than patient with DeLauter if he can play an entire season next year in Cleveland or Triple-A Columbus,” Hoynes wrote.
Health – or lack thereof – has been the only asterisk next to DeLauter’s name for years now.
Even this season, he was expected to be called up shortly after the All-Star break, just like what happened to C.J. Kayfus, but he missed a big chunk of the campaign with multiple ailments.
From a talent perspective, there’s absolutely no doubt that DeLauter belongs on the roster and can hold his ground in the majors, but availability is the best of abilities, and he has yet to show that.
The Guardians will still most likely either get him on the roster for Opening Day or call him up early in the season.
Hopefully, he will leave all those injury woes in the past, as he has the potential to be the face of this organization.
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