Stephen Vogt Shares Hidden Benefit Of Chase DeLauter’s IL Stint

Exactly 15 days went by from the moment that Cleveland Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter went down with a small rib fracture on June 13 until he returned from the injured list on June 28, on Sunday.

There was fear that, due to the uncomfortable nature of the injury and his long history of physical ailments as a prospect, he would need an extended stint on the injured list.

However, that stint was relatively short, allowing the player to stay focused and prepared.

“[Chase DeLauter] trained really hard while being thoughtful to make sure he was feeling good enough to swing the bat. Once he was cleared to swing, he’s been getting after it. So, I’m not shocked at all,” manager Stephen Vogt said, per Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com. “Sometimes when you get that 10-day break, you do more mentally for yourself than anything. You start thinking about games, you think about pitches, you keep yourself ready when you’re on the IL.”

It’s clear that DeLauter didn’t really miss a beat upon returning. On Sunday, he went 2-for-5 with two RBI. On Monday, he went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, and on Tuesday, he doubled and scored a run.

It’s like he never left, but that’s largely because DeLauter worked hard to stay ready, both physically and mentally. He remained involved in the game; he thought about pitchers and strategies, and once he was healthy enough, he began swinging. The power didn’t go anywhere, but he just had to make sure not to re-aggravate anything.

In his second game back from the shelf, on Monday, DeLauter had a batted ball at 110 mph and another one at 107. The legs, the hips, and the torso are all fine and doing their job without any limitations, and that’s all the Guardians need at this juncture.

Having DeLauter back to full health is a significant boost for a largely unproductive offense. He has, before Wednesday’s game, a 113 wRC+, 14 doubles, and seven home runs in the 2026 campaign, his rookie year. Not bad at all.

Now that he’s back and hitting the ball hard, the Guardians hope that some of those batted balls find the stands, or at least the gaps. He is already one of the best hitters in Cleveland.