Cleveland Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter returned to action on Sunday after suffering a small rib fracture on June 13. You would think that he would need a few games to get back up to speed, but no. That wasn’t the case at all.
On Sunday, he went 2-for-5 with a run and two RBI, making his presence felt in a much-needed win for Cleveland. On Monday, he had two more hits: an 110-mph double and a 107-mph single.
It’s safe to say that the rib is doing just fine, at least judging by his impressive exit velocities. Welcome back, Mr. DeLauter: you were badly missed while you were gone.
The rookie got some praise from his manager, Stephen Vogt, who is more than thankful to have him back in the squad and to have him helping the team score some runs during tough times.
“You take two weeks off, it can mess with your timing, can mess with your rhythm, but Chase is just such a natural hitter. Just a testament to how hard he worked when he was on the IL. He’s looking really good right now,” Vogt said.
"You take two weeks off, it can mess with your timing, can mess with your rhythm, but Chase is just such a natural hitter"#Guardians Stephen Vogt on Chase DeLauter's continued success at the plate since his return from the IL yesterday#GuardsBall @WEWS pic.twitter.com/cRUqa4MqAB
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) June 30, 2026
Vogt makes a very good point. Fans, media, and the entire baseball industry in general might focus on the player getting back to action after an injury, but often fail to really understand all the work that goes into such a successful return.
It’s not like the player magically appears in the lineup two weeks after getting hurt and immediately picks it up right where he left off. DeLauter is a very gifted hitter, yes, but he’s also a hard-working kid who prepared for this moment.
The Guardians’ lineup is still missing Jose Ramirez and Angel Martinez, but getting DeLauter back is a huge boost for their chances. They are fighting neck-to-neck with the Chicago White Sox for the division, and every hit, every double, and every RBI counts.
For the season, DeLauter is hitting a cool .269/.341/.414 with seven home runs, 13 doubles, a triple, 37 RBI, and a well-above-average 113 wRC+. He has been everything Cleveland hoped and more.
The most exciting part of that statistical profile is that he is capable of more. Much more.
NEXT: Jose Ramirez Provides Encouraging Injury Update
