The Cleveland Guardians’ rookie sensation left the team’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers after fouling a ball off his foot in the first inning.
DeLauter swung at 97.6 m.ph. fastball from Dodgers starter Shohei Ohtani, driving the pitch down and off the outside of his left ankle.
After a trainer came out to check on DeLauter, the rookie took a few practice swings and returned to the batter’s box. He tried to run out a grounder to first, but was thrown out and then hobbled to the tunnel.
DeLauter was replaced by CJ Kayfus in the bottom of the first.
He was the American League player of the week after his performance against the Seattle Mariners.
DeLauter had been one of opening weekend’s top stories, smashing four home runs in his first three regular-season games. He’s just the second player to accomplish the feat, joining Trevor Story of the Colorado Rockies in 2019. His groundout on Tuesday brought his average down to .272 and his OPS to 1.122 for the season.
The 24-year-old has long been a promising prospect in the Guardians’ farm system, but has had his arrival delayed by injuries. During his minor-league career, DeLauter underwent surgeries on his wrist, left foot and core.
The 16th-overall pick in the 2022 draft, DeLauter made his Guardians debut during the wild-card round last fall. He played in two of the three games of Cleveland’s loss to the Detroit Tigers, recording one hit.
— with files from the Associated Press
