Is Chase DeLauter Hitting the First Rough Patch of His Rookie Season?

DeLauter started off his career on an incredible note, smacking four home runs in his first three regular-season major league games.

May 29, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians right fielder Chase DeLauter (24) hits a single during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

When looking back at the first few weeks of the 2026 MLB regular season, one player stood out more than the rest for the Cleveland Guardians: Chase DeLauter.

The 24-year-old rookie had impressed enough in spring training to earn a shot to compete at the big league level to begin the campaign.

And in his first regular-season game, he announced his arrival in dramatic fashion by blasting two home runs. He followed that performance by homering in each of the next two games. Then, upon returning to Cleveland for the Home Opener in early April, he launched another shot into the right-field seats.

Cleveland Guardians right fielder Chase DeLauter (24) bats against Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Comerica Park in Detroit on Thursday, May 21, 2026. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Through his first seven games, DeLauter had already hit five home runs and looked every bit like the next young franchise cornerstone the team had been searching for.

Cleveland's faithful had embraced him fully as well, spinning the song "Country Roads" by John Denver with lyrics that paid homage to DeLauter's power.

But just as quickly as he rose onto the scene, he lost that power.

Since April 3, he has only smacked two home runs and contributed a .339 slugging percentage. His slashing line as a whole is relatively average right now, with marks of .240/.324/.339 for an OPS of .663. He has kept a keen eye, something that has been a major strength in his game with 25 walks, but the league's adjustments to him have kept him at bay in the power department.

It may be easy to call this a slump, but it seems this is more of an adjustment period for a rookie whose fast start to his big-league career has settled down a bit.

When will Chase DeLauter adjust back to the MLB? #GuardsBall@JLEWFIFTY points out the difficulty of adjusting to MLB pitching as a youngster.

DeLauter is slashing a paltry .193/.246/.211 over his last 57 ABs. pic.twitter.com/o6H5cKL6FQ

— BIGPLAY Cleveland Show (@BIGPLAYCLEshow) June 4, 2026

One of the earliest challenges for a young batter is responding once opposing pitchers develop a scouting report against them. Early on, it was the high fastball that teams knew they could catch DeLauter chasing.

Once he adapted to that, drawing walks and forcing pitchers to throw inside the zone, they again changed their approach against him. Now, when he comes to the plate, he is seeing a mix of breaking and off-speed pitches.

In the last month or so, he has seen a major uptick in offspeed pitches used against him, with the fastball spread out more. Across 53 off-speed pitches thrown against him this season when trailing in a count, he is batting .000 with a Whiff% of 14.3.

Fortunately, with plenty of numbers pointing towards a slump occurring, the coaching staff isn't concerned, something that should give peace of mind for DeLauter. A few weeks back, manager Stephen Vogt spoke to the way that the young right fielder has remained confident.

"He's a good hitter. I mean, Chase is well mature beyond his years as far as his approach, and you see it," Vogt said. "He'll take his walks. He gets a big hit... I mean, any time you come out with a bang the way he did in Seattle, you're going to get circled in the lineup. But Chase has stayed steady and stayed true to his approach, and that's why you're seeing the quality of bats despite maybe the lack of hits."

Can the Guardians get Chase DeLauter going again at the plate? #GuardsBall

"The power has kind've evaporated."

- @JL_Baseball

presented by @FanDuel https://t.co/zX3esDMG1A pic.twitter.com/nFT4mxaGqJ

— The Daily Guards (@DailyGuards) June 4, 2026

There is also the reality that DeLauter may be just experiencing something that he hasn't had the opportunity to do much throughout his career: play a lot.

Injuries limited portions of his collegiate career and also most of his minor league career, and the grind of a long, 162-game campaign can be an adjustment for players like him.

Playing in 60 games this season, he has already set the record for the most amount of outings suited up for in his entire career, no matter the level. The most he played previously was 57 back in 2023. Last season, he played in just 42 games.

The encouraging part is that his maturity and mental experience seem much higher than those of many of his age, resulting in his composure and patience remaining intact.

He is still finding ways to get on base, work through quality at-bats and contribute in different ways, even if that power he had back in March isn't there right now.

Moving forward, DeLaute's production may not generate headlines as it did early in the season, but there is little reason to be fully concerned just yet. The rookie's hot start may have set unrealistic expectations, but his long-term outlook remains exciting, especially as the other youngsters settle in around him as well.