James Madison Professional Athletes

Chase DeLauter isn't just along for the ride in Cleveland's ALCS run — the former James Madison outfielder is driving it.

The Guardians rookie right fielder put on a show in Game 1 against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday, going 3-for-4 with a solo home run, three runs scored, and a walk as Cleveland erased a 2-0 deficit to win 7-3 at Tropicana Field. DeLauter's sixth-inning blast off Drew Rasmussen — the first run Rasmussen had allowed in more than 13 postseason innings — cut the deficit to 2-1 and ignited a rally that José Ramírez and the rest of the Guardians finished off. The two combined for matching three-hit performances, and Cleveland suddenly stopped looking like an underdog.

Game 2 was quieter on the scoreboard — the Guardians fell 3-1 — but DeLauter's fingerprints were still on the only run Cleveland could manufacture. He drove in the game's sole earned run, finishing 1-for-1 with two walks and an RBI, making him the only player in all of MLB to drive in an earned run that day. The Guardians lost anyway, but DeLauter's contributions were the lone silver lining a frustrated fanbase was willing to discuss.

Through the ALCS, DeLauter is hitting .346 with a homer and multiple multi-hit outings — numbers that back up what Sports Illustrated had been saying even before the series began: that the JMU product could be Cleveland's X-factor, offering consistency at a position and in a lineup spot where the Guardians needed a steadying hand.

His postseason arc didn't begin in the ALCS. DeLauter went 1-for-3 in the ALDS clincher against the Chicago White Sox on October 11, nudging his average to .250 at the time and helping push Cleveland through to the next round. He hasn't looked back since.

The other Duke in the postseason picture

On the other side of the ALCS bracket, JMU alumnus Kevin Kelly made brief appearances out of the Tampa Bay bullpen. The right-hander logged just 0.1 innings in Game 1 and 0.2 innings in Game 2 — surrendering one earned run in the latter for a 6.75 ERA in the series. With the Rays now trailing, Kelly's role figures to be situational at best as the series progresses.

The contrast is stark. DeLauter, a 2023 first-round pick out of Harrisonburg, has become one of the more compelling rookie stories of this postseason. For a JMU program that doesn't often see its alumni on this stage, having a former Duke in a lineup alongside Ramírez — with "José" chants raining down even in an opposing ballpark — is something worth savoring.

Game 3 of the ALCS is scheduled for Saturday, October 17, with Cleveland holding a 1-1 series split and DeLauter batting on a national stage.

Chase DeLauter isn't just along for the ride in Cleveland's postseason push — the James Madison alum is one of the reasons the Guardians are still in it.

Batting from the RF spot in every game of the ALDS against the Chicago White Sox, DeLauter has quietly put together a productive series, going 4-for-16 (.250) with two RBIs, two runs scored, and two walks across three games tracked this week. The counting stats don't scream superstar, but in a Guardians offense built on patience, contact, and capitalizing on opponents' mistakes — what fans have taken to calling "Guardiansball" — DeLauter is doing exactly what Cleveland asks of him.

Grinding Through a Deficit

The series started rough. Cleveland dropped Game 1, putting the White Sox up 1-0, and DeLauter's two-hit, one-run Game 1 performance wasn't enough to prevent the loss. But he kept his name in the lineup and his approach at the plate.

In Game 2, DeLauter came up in a pivotal first inning with Steven Kwan and José Ramírez already on base. His ground ball moved both runners into scoring position, setting the table for a White Sox throwing error that plated two runs and handed Cleveland an early lead. It wasn't a box-score splash, but it was exactly the kind of productive at-bat that defines how this Guardians lineup operates.

Finding the Hit Column When It Counts

DeLauter got on the board with his bat in Game 3 (Wednesday, Oct. 7), going 1-for-the-game with an RBI, a run, and a walk as Cleveland rolled to a 9-3 win to pull within one game in the series.

His best contribution came in Game 4 on Friday, Oct. 9. With Cleveland trailing 2-1 in the series and facing elimination pressure, the Guardians erupted for six runs in the sixth inning to seize control 9-4. DeLauter had an RBI hit in that explosion, joining Travis Bazzana, Patrick Bailey, José Ramírez, and Jo Adell in one of the more emphatic innings of the postseason. Cleveland won 9-5, knotting the series at two games apiece and forcing a decisive Game 5.

Guardians teammates have taken notice. Ahead of Game 2, a Cleveland player spoke glowingly about DeLauter to Sports Illustrated, reflecting a broader comfort level the clubhouse has developed with the young outfielder on the biggest stage.

A Footnote on Another Duke

Elsewhere in the JMU alumni ledger, Kevin Kelly made a brief appearance for the Tampa Bay Rays in their ALCS run — tossing 0.1 innings against the Yankees on Oct. 8 and recording a strikeout. Kelly's role as a Rule 5 Draft pickup was part of a broader look at how Tampa Bay identified and acquired the players who helped the Rays reach the ALCS, a testament to the kind of under-the-radar roster building the Rays are known for.

But make no mistake: this is DeLauter's moment. A Duke product (James Madison, to be precise) making his presence felt in October baseball — that's the headline for JMU fans watching this postseason. With a decisive Game 5 looming, the Harrisonburg faithful will be watching closely to see if he can deliver one more time when it matters most.