Chase DeLauter starts MLB career with historic two-homer performance: ‘He’s not from this planet’
The New York Times • • sports
Key Points:
- Chase DeLauter hit two home runs in his first regular-season game for the Cleveland Guardians, becoming the first player in franchise history to start his career with a multi-homer game and only the seventh in MLB history to do so.
- DeLauter also became the fifth player in Guardians history to homer in his first major-league at-bat, joining notable names like Earl Averill and Jay Bell.
- Despite a challenging minor-league career marked by injuries and surgeries, DeLauter impressed with three hits in five at-bats and showed no signs of rookie nerves in front of a supportive home crowd.
- The Guardians plan to manage DeLauter's health carefully in 2026, giving him days off and time at designated hitter to preserve his condition while maximizing his offensive potential.
- DeLauter’s unexpected playoff debut last fall and his confident performance Thursday affirm the organization’s belief in his readiness and potential impact this season.
