The hallmark of Chase DeLauter’s first year with the Cleveland Guardians has been the outfielder’s consistency at the plate. He has produced at a similar rate for most of the campaign, which is very impressive for a rookie, but he has really picked it up when it matters the most.
DeLauter has ended every month with an overall batting average higher than the month before it. But it soared during August, and he is entering September with a slash line of .293/.365/.454 for the season.
Insider Joe Noga revealed why DeLauter deserves more recognition, which should include winning AL Player of the Month after his recent hot stretch.
“[Chase DeLauter] is a guy who should be a candidate for American League Player of the Month in August. Hit .363 with a .978 OPS since Aug. 1. When he’s in there and when he’s healthy, he’s one of the most productive hitters in that Guardians lineup,” Noga said.
DeLauter’s performance may have been somewhat overshadowed by the return to form of outfielder Steven Kwan since the All-Star break and the performance of Jo Adell since his arrival at the trade deadline. But in addition to his stellar batting average, DeLauter also had a .977 OPS with four doubles, two triples and two home runs among his 29 hits.
In 19 games with multiple at-bats last month, he was hitless in just four of them. For the season, he leads the Guardians with 125 hits and 60 RBIs.
DeLauter has helped the Guardians climb back into playoff contention after a difficult start to the second half. They now trail the first-place Chicago White Sox by 3.0 games in the AL Central and lead the Baltimore Orioles by one-half game for the final AL Wild Card.
DeLauter’s performance is even more impressive when you consider that he never played more than 57 games in any of his three minor league seasons. He did miss 11 games with a fractured rib suffered in June, and recently sat out with hamstring tightness, but his overall durability has been a key factor in his outstanding season.
With just 25 games remaining, the Guardians would love for DeLauter to be a contender for Player of the Month in September as they look to win the division and get back to the postseason for a third straight year.
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