Emerging
Jun 17, 20261
61%
Cleveland Guardians Place Chase DeLauter on Injured List Due to Rib Fracture
The Cleveland Guardians placed rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter on the injured list after he fractured a rib colliding with the outfield wall Saturday, and recalled Kahlil Watson from Triple-A Columbus to fill his roster spot. The move follows other recent injuries to key Guardians players José Ramírez and Angel Martínez.
Quick Facts
Who
Chase DeLauter
What
DeLauter placed on injured list with fractured rib
When
Saturday
Where
Milwaukee
- DeLauter placed on injured list with fractured rib
- Kahlil Watson recalled from Triple-A Columbus
- DeLauter collided with outfield wall
- Ramírez underwent surgery to repair broken hamate bone
- Martínez suffered nondisplaced fracture to left foot
The Cleveland Guardians placed rookie outfielder Chase DeLauter on the injured list before Wednesday night's game against the Milwaukee Brewers, marking the latest roster move due to injuries that have struck the team in recent days. DeLauter fractured a rib on his right side Saturday after colliding with the outfield wall and is expected to miss at least 10 days. Guardians manager Stephen Vogt expressed confidence that DeLauter would make a full recovery, stating the team wanted to ensure he would be at full strength upon return.
To fill the vacancy created by DeLauter's placement on the injured list, outfielder Kahlil Watson was recalled from Triple-A Columbus. Watson, who was drafted by the Miami Marlins in the first round in 2021, has no previous major league experience. The 23-year-old was batting .255 with a .370 on-base percentage, 12 homers, 35 RBIs and 15 steals in 56 games at Columbus. Vogt indicated that Watson will primarily play right field but has the versatility to cover all three outfield positions.
DeLauter's injury is part of a larger wave of ailments affecting the Guardians' roster. During Saturday's 3-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers, both All-Star third baseman José Ramírez and outfielder Angel Martínez sustained injuries. Ramírez underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a broken hamate bone in his left hand, an injury sustained when he hit a foul pop to Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler, with typical recovery taking five to seven weeks. Martínez suffered a nondisplaced fracture to his left foot while fouling off a pitch and is expected to miss four to six weeks.
DeLauter, in his first season with Cleveland, has compiled a .263 batting average with 7 homers and 34 RBIs across 66 games, including 4 of those homers coming in the season's first three games. The injured trio has been significant contributors, with Ramírez batting .239 with 10 homers and 33 RBIs in 72 games, and Martínez leading the team with 11 homers while batting .239 with 33 RBIs in 66 games.
Topics
Why This Matters
The Guardians face mounting roster pressure with three key contributors sidelined simultaneously. DeLauter's injury compounds challenges for a team already losing All-Star José Ramírez to surgery and Angel Martínez to a foot fracture. Kahlil Watson's recall represents a significant opportunity for an inexperienced prospect to prove readiness at the major league level, while the team's ability to maintain competitiveness during this injury-plagued stretch will be critical to their season trajectory.