SEATTLE — Cleveland Guardians rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter entered the first regular-season game of his major league career with plenty of high-stakes experience at the sport’s highest level.
The top prospect debuted in the AL Wild Card Series last fall, but that didn’t stop a handful of family members from traveling west to see DeLauter hit two home runs, including one in the first regular-season at-bat of his major league career on Thursday in a 6-4 win over the Seattle Mariners.
“That’s something I’ll never forget,” DeLauter said of his post-season debut last year. “I won’t forget this one either, don’t get me wrong.”
In the first inning, DeLauter turned on a full-count slider by Seattle starter Logan Gilbert and hit it 358 feet to right field. DeLauter, 24, 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 on June 26, 2024.
The six-foot-three, 235-pound outfielder got plenty of wood on his first home run, just as he did in the ninth inning against Mariners reliever Cooper Criswell.
DeLauter hit a cutter from Criswell 422 feet, which gave Cleveland’s Cade Smith an insurance run to lock down his first save of the season.
“The last at-bat, just again, looking at another guy that mixes well,” Smith said. “So, just kind of looking for something out over the plate, and got it and a good swing on it.”
DeLauter finished the night 3-for-5, which tied him with veteran slugger Rhys Hoskins for the team-lead in hits. Hoskins was particularly impressed with how unfazed DeLauter was in just his third major league game.
“Maybe he doesn’t know, maybe ignorance is bliss,” Hoskins said. “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.”
To Hoskins’ point, a crowd of 44,938 fans in support of the reigning American League West champions did little to slow down DeLauter. On Wednesday, DeLauter told The Associated Press it felt “awesome” just to make Cleveland’s opening day roster after hitting .452 with three home runs and nine RBIs in spring training.
“I mean, just thrilled to be around the guys,” DeLauter said. “Thrilled to be available. Really excited to just play some meaningful baseball again.”
DeLauter said appearing in two post-season games last year made him feel like he belonged in the majors, and that it allowed him to focus on keeping his body in good shape. Manager Stephen Vogt similarly thinks that DeLauter’s post-season experience allowed him to more easily adjust.
“He’s worked extremely hard, and he’s a very talented player,” Vogt said. “So, fun to see him have a night like tonight.”
As effortless as it may have seemed at times for DeLauter, who Cleveland selected 16th overall in the 2022 amateur draft, he admitted to feeling nervous just like anybody else ahead of his first regular-season game. But rather than let those emotions overwhelm him, DeLauter elected to use them as fuel — just as he always does.
“The way I like to put it is I’m ready for it to start when I walk in the building,” DeLauter said. “I don’t feel like I’m nervous for the game. I’m anxious for it to start, and I think a lot of guys can relate that way, and that’s why we came out firing tonight.”
