The Cleveland Guardians defeated the Chicago Cubs 4-1 in their home opener on Friday at Progressive Field. Cubs starter Cade Horton left in the second inning with right forearm discomfort after his velocity dropped. Chase DeLauter went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and three RBIs for Cleveland.
Cleveland returned home from a season-opening road trip and got a strong performance from outfielder Chase DeLauter. The 24-year-old blasted a two-run home run in the seventh inning that helped secure the 4-1 victory. He also delivered a game-tying single in the fifth and now has five homers in his first seven career regular-season games, tying for second most in MLB history since 1900. DeLauter had missed a start earlier in the week after fouling a pitch off his left foot but said pregame he was ready to return. The crowd at Progressive Field gave him a warm reception throughout the game. Guardians fans welcomed back DeLauter, who had previously appeared in the AL Wild Card Series at the ballpark last October. In the visiting dugout, Cubs right-hander Cade Horton, last year's NL Rookie of the Year runner-up, exited after the second inning. The 24-year-old threw a 93.8 mph fastball—his slowest of the game—before calling for the trainer. His velocity had been 95-96 mph in the first inning but dropped suddenly. Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Horton reported discomfort starting in his wrist that moved to his forearm. The team plans to send Horton to Chicago for further evaluation and may make a roster move. Horton, who had a 2.84 ERA over 118 innings last season, emphasized making a mature decision after past experiences. Colin Rea replaced Horton and pitched 3 1/3 innings. The win gives Cleveland momentum after their road trip, while the Cubs monitor their rotation depth amid injuries like Justin Steele's ongoing rehab.
