Chase DeLauter’s first season with the Cleveland Guardians has been defined by one thing above all else: steady production. The rookie outfielder hasn’t just flashed for a week or two - he’s kept delivering, month after month, and his finish to the summer has put him in the spotlight.
By the time September arrives, DeLauter is carrying a .293/.365/.454 slash line, and each month has ended with his batting average a little higher than the one before it. August was the big jump, though, and it’s the kind of surge that has people around the club taking a closer look.
Insider Joe Noga made the case that DeLauter’s work deserves more attention, and he didn’t hold back about where the outfielder belongs in the conversation.
“[Chase DeLauter] is a guy who should be a candidate for American League Player of the Month in August. Hit .363 with a .978 OPS since Aug.
- When he’s in there and when he’s healthy, he’s one of the most productive hitters in that Guardians lineup,” Noga said.
The production has been easy to miss at times because Steven Kwan has also been back in form since the All-Star break, and Jo Adell has added his own impact since arriving at the trade deadline. Still, DeLauter’s August line was loud: a .977 OPS, four doubles, two triples and two home runs among his 29 hits.
He was also remarkably consistent in the month. In 19 games where he logged multiple at-bats, he went hitless only four times. For the season, he leads the Guardians with 125 hits and 60 RBIs.
That kind of output has helped push Cleveland back into the playoff picture after a rough second half start. The Guardians are now 3.0 games behind the first-place Chicago White Sox in the AL Central and sit one-half game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles for the final AL Wild Card.
What makes DeLauter’s season stand out even more is the workload. He never played more than 57 games in any of his three minor league seasons, yet he’s managed to stay productive through a full major league campaign. He missed 11 games after fracturing a rib in June and also recently sat out because of hamstring tightness, but his overall durability has still been a major part of what has made this year such a success.
With 25 games left, the Guardians would love to see DeLauter keep it rolling and become a Player of the Month candidate again in September as they chase the division and try to return to the postseason for a third straight year.
In Other News...
Guardians Roster Depth Just Made Two Former Prospects An Afterthought
Clevelands roster churn from earlier this season keeps echoing into September, with two former Guardians prospects now getting fresh looks elsewhere. Juan Brito and Bo Naylor were both sent down in April and then dealt before the trade deadline, moves that signaled how quickly the organizations depth chart had changed around them.
Both players are back in the big leagues with new clubs after making those September rosters, with Naylor joining the Milwaukee Brewers and Brito landing with the Cincinnati Reds. Brito has already made his Reds debut, while Naylor earned his call-up after a productive run in the minors, a reminder that even after leaving Cleveland, both still have a chance to turn their seasons into something more interesting. [Read more 🡒]
Shane Biebers Cleveland Return Brings Back A Lot For Guardians Fans
Shane Biebers return to Progressive Field brought a familiar face back into the Guardians orbit, even if it came in a different uniform. Bieber spent his Cleveland years from 2018 through 2024 before being dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays in 2025, and with Toronto in town for a series, he made the trip back with the club despite being injured. For fans who watched him grow into one of the franchises defining arms, seeing him back around the ballpark carried a little extra weight.
Bieber has not been able to pitch while he works through the injury, but the setting still matters for a player whose Cleveland chapter lasted so long. Through 11 outings this season, he has a 4.37 ERA, a reminder that his present in Toronto has not yet matched the certainty he once brought to the Guardians. Even so, the return to Cleveland is the kind of moment that tends to stir memories first and leave the bigger questions for later. [Read more 🡒]
White Sox Suddenly Have A Real Opening To Finish This Off
The AL Central race has stayed tight enough that every small roster decision feels magnified, and Cleveland is still within striking distance after a strong recent run. Chicago has spent most of the season on top of the division and is trying to end a postseason drought that has lingered since 2021, but the Guardians are three games back as of Wednesday and remain very much in the hunt.
For Cleveland, the question now is whether help from within will arrive in time to matter. Top prospect Ralphy Velazquez has put together a strong minor league performance, giving the organization a potential source of extra thump for the stretch run, but the Guardians have not made the move to bring him up. With the division still open and the margin still slim, every bit of offense could loom large in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]