Chase DeLauter doesn’t sound like a player in awe of Jose Ramirez so much as one who’s fully buying into the force Cleveland has riding at the top of its lineup.
Ahead of Game 2 of the American League Championship Series on Tuesday, the Guardians outfielder made his feelings plain when talking to reporters about hitting behind Ramirez.
“Yeah, he's the GOAT, man,” DeLauter said, via Mason Horodyski of News 5 Cleveland. “I think we feed off of him.
When he comes out and has that kind of fire, it lights all of us up. That's our leader, that's a guy we want to follow.
He's a true Hall of Famer for a reason, and that's why.”
That backing came after both players helped drive Cleveland’s 7-3 win in Game 1. Ramirez and DeLauter, occupying the Nos. 2 and 3 spots in the order, combined for six hits, five runs scored and two RBI.
The way the Guardians have lined up around Ramirez matters, too. Cleveland’s offense has often been thin enough over the years that opponents could simply work around its star third baseman. DeLauter changing that equation gives the Rays less room to pitch carefully, especially with Ramirez still dangerous once he reaches base and can create problems on the bases, as he did in Monday’s game.
Cleveland will try to keep that pressure on Tuesday night, with Ramirez and DeLauter again expected to set the tone in front of starter Parker Messick. A win would give the Guardians a 2-0 edge in the series before it shifts back to Cleveland for Games 3-5.
In Other News...
Guardians' Most Painful Trade Looks Even Worse After New Report
The 2021 swap that sent Junior Caminero from Cleveland to Tampa Bay has long lingered as one of the organizations toughest second guesses, and fresh reporting only adds another layer to the regret. The Guardians moved the then-rising prospect for pitcher Tobias Myers, a deal made with the hope of solving a pitching need while parting with a young hitter who was still far from the majors.
Now the sting is not just what Cleveland gave up, but how close the Rays came to asking for something else from the system before settling on Caminero. Xzavion Curry was among the minor leaguers Tampa Bay initially sought, and the fact that Caminero has developed into a top prospect while Myers and Curry have had quieter big league careers makes the trade look even harder to defend in hindsight. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Schedule Change Created An Unusual MLB Playoff Ripple
MLBs postseason calendar picked up an odd little domino effect Wednesday, with the league moving Game 4 of the NLCS between the Dodgers and Brewers up an hour to 8 p.m. ET. The change did not come out of nowhere. It followed the earlier decision to shift ALCS Game 3 between the Guardians and Rays from 6 p.m. ET to 1 p.m. ET because of expected inclement weather, a reminder of how one playoff adjustment can ripple across the rest of the bracket.
For Cleveland fans, the practical part is simple: the team confirmed that tickets and parking passes will still work for the new start time. The bigger picture is a postseason schedule that can still bend quickly around weather, TV and the rest of the leagues needs, even as the Guardians try to stay focused on the field rather than the clock. [Read more 🡒]
Gavin Williams Is Giving Guardians Fans Another Reason To Believe
Gavin Williams has already done his share to fuel Clevelands October run, and now he is looking to add something else to the mix as the Guardians head into the next round. The young starting pitcher said he wants to be a more vocal leader as the club prepares for Game 3 of the American League Championship Series, a sign of how quickly he has grown from power arm to one of the voices in the room.
Williams backed up that confidence with his latest outing, throwing 5.2 scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts in the series-clinching win over the Chicago White Sox. Cleveland now turns to a Game 3 matchup with the Tampa Bay Rays, set for 1 PM ET Thursday after a weather-related delay from the original 6 PM start, and the Guardians will be hoping their emerging starter brings the same edge both on the mound and in the clubhouse. [Read more 🡒]