Cleveland Guardians young star Chase DeLauter has cooled off a bit after an unbelievable start. Right now, he is hitting .221, so you might think he is struggling. What people haven’t realized yet is that even when the hits aren’t falling, he has found ways to contribute.
DeLauter opened the year with four home runs in his first three games, but since then, he has one in 19. His wRC+ is down to 130, which is still magnificent, but not as impressive as it was ten or fifteen days ago.
Make no mistake: he is learning, and he is helping his team. He had an amazing outfield assist a few days ago, showing off his impressive arm, and he is walking more than he is striking out, with 12 bases on balls and 11 punchouts.
Truth be told, DeLauter might not be slumping at all. The balls are finding gloves at a higher rate these days, but he remains a disciplined hitter with a plan at the plate. His manager, Stephen Vogt, is fully confident in him.
“I think Chase [DeLauter] is right where he needs to be,” Vogt said. “He’s getting pitched tough. … But every hitter goes through a little bit of a lull in hits. It’s how you handle it and how you come out on the other side, and Chase is very confident. We have all the confidence in him as well,” he told Tim Stebbins of MLB.com.
DeLauter announced that he remains a dangerous hitter in any situation on Tuesday night against the Houston Astros. With Cleveland down 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning, he cleared the bases with a three-run triple that turned the score and gave the Guardians a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
His swing is so short and explosive, and he is so selective at the plate that he appears to be slump-proof. Yes, his batting average has fallen a bit, but it is bound to go back up, and Tuesday might have been the start of another special run for the rookie.
Despite that .221 batting average, his OBP is a much cooler .322, and he is slugging an excellent .506 before taking the field on Wednesday.
NEXT: Chase DeLauter Names Three Guardians Veterans He Leans On
