Modern baseball has become unwatchable for some, and more exciting for others. As with everything in life, it all depends on personal preferences and opinions.
Some people don’t like the fact that current hitters strike out so much. The game was much more contact-oriented in the past, but pitchers improving their average velocity and the shape of their pitches, not to mention batters selling out for power, have resulted in a spike in punchouts these days.
Unless, of course, your name is Chase DeLauter. The Cleveland Guardians rookie is known for his excellent bat-to-ball skills, which is impressive because he also has his fair share of power.
On Monday, for example, he got the Guardians’ offense going in the 7-3 ALCS Game 1 win with a solo homer in the sixth inning that trimmed the Rays’ lead to one run. Cleveland eventually tied the game and took control of it in the late stages.
Few hitters, let alone rookies, combine DeLauter’s bat-to-ball skills and power. If you want proof of this, we have a shocking piece of data that will blow your mind.
“Chase DeLauter of the Cleveland Guardians has not struck out in any of his 27 postseason plate appearances. It’s the third-longest such streak by a rookie to begin a postseason in MLB history, behind 32-PA streaks by Gregg Jefferies in 1988 and Joe Panik in 2014,” Opta Stats reported.
Chase DeLauter of the @CleGuardians has not struck out in any of his 27 postseason plate appearances.
It’s the third longest such streak by a rookie to begin a postseason in MLB history, behind 32-PA streaks by Gregg Jefferies in 1988 and Joe Panik in 2014. pic.twitter.com/zyfftRkT0n
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) October 13, 2026
For context, Jo Adell has struck 10 times already in the 2026 playoffs and has been a highly productive player in October. Even the great Jose Ramirez has fanned five times in six games so far.
Not DeLauter, though. Oh, and he has played all six games, too. He is hitting a cool .333/.407/.500 with a double, a homer, five runs, three RBI, three walks, and a .907 OPS. He has been a contact king this year in the postseason, and if he gets five plate appearances on Tuesday night without striking out, he will tie Jefferies and Panik.
No, it’s not a fluke: he posted a rock-solid 14.7 percent strikeout rate. Only 13 qualified American League hitters had a lower rate.
DeLauter has a short but extremely powerful swing. His lightning-quick wrists allow him to reach every quadrant of the plate, leaving him with virtually no offensive weakness.
If DeLauter can shake off the injury-prone label, he could become a legendary figure in the Guardians organization.
NEXT: Guardians Made MLB Postseason History With Clutch Hitting
