Cleveland Guardians rookie Chase DeLauter enjoyed a historic MLB regular-season debut, overshadowing the Seattle Mariners. In the Guardians’ 6-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners, DeLauter homered twice. He is now the sixth player to achieve this in their debut.
DeLauter’s Early Impact
DeLauter’s first major league experience came in an American League Wild Card Series last year. DeLauter said of his postseason debut last year, “That’s something I’ll never forget”. He added, “I won’t forget this one either, don’t get me wrong.”
In the first inning, DeLauter hit Mariners starting pitcher Logan Gilbert’s 85-mph slider 358 feet over the right-field wall. This gave the Guardians a 1-0 lead and marked his first Major League home run. DeLauter became the fifth player in Cleveland’s 126-year franchise history to hit a home run in his first career regular-season at-bat. He is the first Guardians player to do so since Jhonkensy Noel June 26, 2024.
A Ninth-Inning Homer Seals It
DeLauter’s second blast came in the ninth inning against Mariners reliever Cooper Criswell. He crushed Criswell’s cutter 422 feet into right-center field, providing a key insurance run. This extended the Guardians’ lead to 6-4.
Reliever Erik Sabrowski said of DeLauter, according to The Athletic, “He’s not from this planet”.
Hoskins Impressed by Rookie’s Composure
DeLauter finished the night 3 for 5, tying him with veteran slugger Rhys Hoskins for the team lead in hits. Hoskins noted DeLauter’s composure in just his third major league game. “Maybe he doesn’t know, maybe ignorance is bliss,” Hoskins said. He added, “But to have that slow of a heartbeat in a home opener, obviously their crowd is all charged up because of what this team was able to do last year. So, yeah, just super cool.”
In DeLauter’s three seasons in the organisation, he has only played in 138 games while dealing with a litany of injuries. DeLauter said, “I mean, just thrilled to be around the guys. Thrilled to be available. Really excite