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Guardians include Chase DeLauter on roster for wild card series vs Tigers
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- Guardians include Chase DeLauter on roster for wild card series vs Tigers
Editor's note: This story has been updated after the Guardians released their wild card series roster Tuesday, Sept. 30. Editor's note: Follow Guardians vs. Tigers live updates and highlights from Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series .
CLEVELAND — It's possible that Chase DeLauter could make his major league debut on one of the game's biggest stages.
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The Guardians announced their Wild Card Series roster a few hours before Game 1 against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, Sept. 30. DeLauter is among the 26 players on the roster.
A day earlier, it was announced that DeLauter and catcher Dom Nunez were on the club's taxi squad and are eligible to be on the Wild Card Series roster . Nunez, as a third catcher, could have given the Guardians a little extra flexibility with pinch hitting or pinch running late in games. He did not make the roster for the series.
DeLauter is a former top prospect who has battled a series of injuries that have delayed his major league debut. He projected to be an impact hitter — if he could ever remain on the field. Those issues followed him in 2025, as he played only 34 games in Triple-A, though he did post an .859 OPS.
Chase DeLauter injury
In late July, DeLauter underwent surgery to repair a broken hamate bone , which appeared as though it might end his 2025 season, especially after he later needed a cortisone shot. He now has a chance to be named to the 26-man roster, potentially in the place of Jhonkensy Noel or another outfielder.
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"Had some live at-bats on Friday, had a call … to stay hot, stay ready, and then last night got a call to come up here and just be ready to help any way I can," DeLauter said Monday, Sept. 29.
He noted this spring his only goal for 2025 was to remain on the field. That didn't happen as planned, but if he could make a positive impact in a playoff series, it'd certainly make up for the six months of frustration.
"It's been tough," DeLauter said. "The injuries have unfortunately not gone my way. … I never thought I had a chance to even get back into games this year after needing a cortisone shot. So we'll see what happens."
Which players made their major league debuts in the playoffs?
Ryan Weathers of the San Diego Padres , Shane McLanahan of the Tampa Bay Rays and Alex Kirilloff of the Minnesota Twins all made their first appearances in a major league game in a playoff game in 2020. Kirilloff became the first player to make his MLB debut by starting a playoff game .
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In 2015, Kansas City Royals infielder Adalberto Mondesi became the first player to actually make his debut in the World Series.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Guardians prospect Chase DeLauter makes wild card playoffs roster
