Cleveland Guardians Share Defensive Plan for Chase DeLauter

The Cleveland Guardians know that they’ll need Chase DeLauter’s bat in the lineup for their offense to reach its full potential during the 2026 season. But the other piece to that is determining where he will play in the field. DeLauter has experience at all three outfield positions, but his injury history also complicates exactly how much extra work the Stephen Vogt shared on Saturday that the team’s plan heading into the 2026 season is for DeLauter to play primarily in right field, with some DH days, to keep him and his body in a familiar routine throughout the regular season.

“We felt like putting him in right field, one, it's his best outfield position, and it also allows him to have the consistency of, ‘I know where I'm going to be, I know where I need to go,’ and so as of right now, I would say he's the one person that will stay in the one spot,” explained Cleveland’s skipper on Sunday. Oct 1, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians center fielder Chase DeLauter (34) catches the ball hit by Detroit Tigers outfielder Parker Meadows (not pictured) in the sixth inning during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images Having DeLauter only focus on one defensive position heading into the season definitely makes the most sense.

There’s already going to be so much pressure for the rookie to have success on offense that adding more to his plate by having him work in multiple outfield positions would only add more expectations. Plus, DeLatuer’s health factors into all of this, too. The 24-year-old has All-Star potential when he’s on the field, but that has been an issue for DeLauter ever since he was drafted in 2022.

The Guardians realize that by having him in right field, he could limit some of the extra physical workload that center field or left field could create. Vogt continued, “With Chase, we're learning, he's learning how, we want to keep this guy as close to 100% every day as possible, and talking with our sports science, talking with our medical and [outfield coach] JT McGuire…” DeLauter’s work during Spring Training is consistent with what Vogt describes. He’s played one game in center field, but the other eight have all come in right field, with four designated hitter days, too.