Cleveland Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter is, talent-wise, maybe the best and most promising hitter in the farm system at the moment.
His swing is short, but highly explosive: it’s built for power.
Availability, however, has been an ongoing problem during his professional career. He has suffered many injuries, ranging from a foot fracture in 2024 to a sports hernia and a broken hamate bone in 2025. The last two required surgery.
DeLauter, who entered the spring healthy, had been scratched from the lineup last week with lower-body soreness, but returned on Sunday and actually homered in that game.
Fans are getting worried and anxious, though, because DeLauter hasn’t played ever since.
Is there a reason to be worried, though?
Manager Stephen Vogt did his best to put out the fire.
“It’s legitimately day-to-day [for Chase DeLauter]. We’ve altered the playing time that he normally would’ve gotten. He’s learning how to work. We’re learning how to help Chase feel close to 100% every day. We have plenty of time for him to get game action, so we’re going to work him back in as soon as everybody feels ready for it, which should be soon,” Vogt said.
"He's learning how to work. We're learning how to help Chase feels close to 100% every day"#Guardians Manager Stephen Vogt says Chase DeLauter is "day to day", but is happy with the way things have progressed this spring. #GuardsBall @WEWS pic.twitter.com/oirjWyMAA9
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) March 5, 2026
Considering DeLauter’s injury history, day-to-day is really much, much better than week-to-week. It does sound like they are being overly cautious, which is to be expected and, frankly, the right way to approach the situation.
It’s still early March, and there is plenty of time to get the promising outfielder in game shape. If he has to miss a week of action right now to be fully healthy in April, it’s the correct strategy.
The team and fans are excited about DeLauter’s potential. He hasn’t played a single regular-season game for the Guardians yet, but he did make a few appearances in the postseason, where he logged a hit and a walk in seven trips to the plate.
This is a player who boasts an elite .888 OPS in 504 at-bats in minor league baseball, though. With a bit of time to adjust, he could be a difference-maker in Cleveland as soon as the regular season rolls around.
He may never fully shake off the injury-prone label, but as long as he is on the field, the Guardians have a potential All-Star right fielder, and they haven’t had one of those in a long time.
NEXT: Guardians Manager Addresses Key Reliever's Injury Situation
