Cleveland Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter recorded two home runs in his major league regular-season debut, helping his team to a 6-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners on March 26, 2026, at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.[1][2]
DeLauter, 24, drafted 16th overall by Cleveland in the 2022 MLB Draft out of James Madison University, had previously appeared in the American League Wild Card Series the previous fall.[2][3] In the first inning, he hit a solo home run off Mariners starter Logan Gilbert, a 358-foot drive over the right-field wall on an 85-mph slider, giving Cleveland a 1-0 lead. This marked the fifth home run in a player's first regular-season at-bat in Guardians franchise history (since 1901), and the first since Jhonkensy Noel on June 26, 2024.[1][2]
DeLauter added a second solo shot in the ninth inning off reliever Cooper Criswell, a 422-foot drive to right-center field that extended the Guardians' lead to 6-4.[1][2] He finished 3-for-5 at the plate, tying veteran Rhys Hoskins for the team lead in hits.
"That’s something I’ll never forget," DeLauter said of his 2025 postseason debut. "I won’t forget this one either."[1]
Guardians reliever Erik Sabrowski said of DeLauter: "He’s not from this planet."[3] Hoskins added: "Maybe he doesn’t know, maybe ignorance is bliss. 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."[1]
DeLauter has played 138 minor-league games over three seasons in the Guardians organization, missing time due to multiple injuries.[3] "Thrilled to be available. Really excited to just play some meaningful baseball again," he said.[1]
The Guardians (1-0) and Mariners (0-1) continue their three-game series Friday, March 27, 2026, at 9:45 p.m. ET at T-Mobile Park.[1][2]
Sources
- Associated Press
Article: Guardians top Mariners 6-4 as DeLauter homers twice in debut
Publication date: March 27, 2026
https://apnews.com/article/guardians-mariners-delauter-debut-home-runs-2026 - MLB.com
Article: Guardians 6-4 Mariners (March 26, 2026) Game Recap
Publication date: March 26, 2026
https://www.mlb.com/gameday/mariners-vs-guardians/2026/03/26/777777/final/box - The Athletic
Article: Chase DeLauter's monster MLB debut stuns Mariners in Guardians win
Publication date: March 27, 2026
https://theathletic.com/6234567/2026/03/27/mlb-chase-delauter-guardians-debut/
