Guardians rise in latest power rankings behind red-hot Chase DeLauter

The Cleveland Guardians didn't make a lot of headlines over the offseason. But with Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan, this is never a team you can count out. 

And that seems to be the case this season. They have gotten off to a solid start, keeping them in the thick of things near the top of the AL Central. 

Last week, they were ranked as the No. 14 team across MLB, and a rocky last week could have put them lower if it were not for what Chase DeLauter did at the plate. 

MORE: Guardians' Jose Ramirez closing in on rare 300/300 MLB history

Guardians rise in latest power rankings behind red-hot Chase DeLauter

DeLauter was the 16th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft and is doing great in his first year in the big leagues. Across 32 games, he is hitting .304/.392/.554 with eight doubles, one triple, six home runs, and 21 runs batted in. 

And if it weren't for what he did at the plate last week, they could have dropped in the power rankings, but Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller bumps them up one spot to No. 13. 

"The Guardians went .500 for the week, but Chase DeLauter was even better than that, going a remarkable 13-for-22 at the dish. You might recall this rookie also had five home runs within the first eight games of the season...We'll see if he continues to be the type of player who just has these stretches in which he becomes a walking inferno, but he is very much still in the AL Rookie of the Year conversation."

Miller believes he is still in the running for the AL Rookie of the Year award, but he has some stiff competition in Chicago White Sox slugger Munetaka Murakami, who is tied with Aaron Judge for most home runs at this point in the season. 

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