The Cleveland Guardians made the playoffs, but that didn’t hide their biggest flaw.
They haven’t had much going on offense all season.
While the front office is to blame for the moves it made, and the ones it didn’t, the Guardians might have a solution right in front of them.
That’s why manager Stephen Vogt made the unusual decision to have a rookie make his MLB debut in a postseason game.
More than that, outfielder Chase DeLauter is in the starting lineup for Game 2 of the AL Wild Card series against the Detroit Tigers.
Asked about the historic decision, Vogt gave a candid response.
“He can hit. Everywhere he’s ever been, he’s hit. We’re looking for offense. We have been all year. And this gives us a really good opportunity to have an impact bat,” Vogt said.
Stephen Vogt, on Chase DeLauter: "He can hit — everywhere he's ever been, he's hit. We're looking for offense. We have been all year. And this gives us a really good opportunity to have an impact bat." https://t.co/IQttVvTc9k
— Zack Meisel (@ZackMeisel) October 1, 2025
Baseball is a complicated sport, but sometimes, it can be as simple as that.
DeLauter is the sixth player in MLB history to debut in the postseason.
He will play center field and bat seventh in the lineup.
A first-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, he is a special talent who has excelled at every level he’s played.
He was expected to reach the majors at some point this season, but injuries cost him most of the minor league campaign, and it seemed that he would have to wait until next season to get promoted.
That’s no longer the case, and barring another injury, he could become a regular for as long as this playoff run lasts.
NEXT: Chase DeLauter Will Make MLB History With Playoff Debut
