How DeLauter’s IL stint provided midseason ‘reset’

This story was excerpted from Tim Stebbins’ Guardians Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CLEVELAND — In a perfect world, Chase DeLauter would not have spent any time on the injured list. The Guardians’ outfielder missed two weeks after he suffered a fracture in his right rib cage on June 13, following a collision with the right-field wall at Progressive Field.

However, DeLauter being able to press pause in the midst of his rookie big league season was one positive to glean from an otherwise tough situation.

“You never wish or hope you get a break, of course, midseason like that,” DeLauter said. “But that definitely is somewhat of a reset.”

DeLauter has established himself as a key piece for the Guardians this season, batting .272 with 15 doubles, eight home runs and a .757 OPS over 74 games. That’s the most he’s played in a single campaign at any point in his baseball journey.

DeLauter’s previous career-high in games played was 57, in his first Minor League season in 2023. The 24-year-old appeared in 44 games in the Minors and the MLB postseason last year, when he missed time after undergoing core muscle surgery in March and right hamate fracture surgery in July.

“[The IL stint] was definitely a good little break for me for the legs and stuff like that. I will say, coming back, jumping right back into compete mode, it stacks up quick,” DeLauter said. “It’s an interesting one to navigate, because in the past when I’ve had stuff, it’s been, ‘Let’s take a couple of months.’ You kind of know it’s a long process.

“Whereas this [time], you’re really not doing anything for a week, and then you’re doing everything again the following week. It was good, though. A good little reset on the mental, on the legs. But again, you never really hope that happens.”

DeLauter’s presence is crucial while Guardians continue to navigate offensively with José Ramírez and Angel Martínez on the injured list, and he has loomed large since he rejoined Cleveland’s lineup on June 28. Over eight games, DeLauter has hit .333 (12-for-36) with three doubles, one home run and seven RBIs. His two-run blast Sunday was his first since May 17.

Some of that production can be attributed to the constant game of adjustments any player encounters in a season, nevermind a rookie. DeLauter’s season has included a few chapters, from his historic early-season home run surge to his time on the shelf to everything in between.

DeLauter went 0-for-13 over his first four games in June, and then went 8-for-22 (.364) in six games preceding his injury. That production made the timing of his IL stint unfortunate, but unlike previous ailments, his time away was brief. That speaks to the overarching theme of his season.

During the offseason, DeLauter worked to understand what he needs to get his body ready to play every day. His overall durability this season has been a byproduct of that continued process. DeLauter noted the biggest thing he’s learning is not what he needs to do to get ready once he arrives at the ballpark, but rather everything leading up to that point.

“We have all the stuff in the world to be prepared,” DeLauter said. “But I think it’s when you get away from here and you have a little bit of time away, how do you make sure you’re keeping yourself well-rested and fueled for the next day and stuff like that?

“I think it’s easier when you’re looking ahead and stacking good days than it is to really just focus on how to be prepared one day at a time. That’s kind of what my approach has been so far this year. I feel like it’s working pretty well.”

As much as he’s prioritizing stacking good days physically, DeLauter has emphasized the mental side of things while learning from teammates. He recalled Steven Kwan noting earlier this year how he would live different lifetimes over 162 games. A player encounters things as simple as changing weather conditions, nevermind what life throws at them off of the field.

DeLauter is remembering to be where his feet are. All of this is part of a young player learning how to navigate everything he encounters in a big league season.

“If you’re thinking about baseball when you’re home and all day long,” DeLauter said, “it’s a recipe for disaster at game time — especially when you’re stacking games up. I really think using those guys to kind of learn how to think better and how to just be where my feet are and be present, whether I’m at the field or away from the field has been a huge help.”