There are hot starts, and then there are starts that immediately change the feel of a ballpark. Chase DeLauter has done that for the Cleveland Guardians.

When DeLauter steps in at Progressive Field, the right-field crowd has started putting its own spin on John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” replacing the familiar chorus with a simple request that fits the moment: hit one out. It is part singalong, part rally cry, and part reminder of how quickly a rookie can become appointment viewing in this town.

The timing makes sense. DeLauter’s opening burst has been one of the most electric stories of Cleveland’s first week and a half. MLB noted that he hit five home runs in his first seven regular-season games, a total tied for the second-most in that span in the modern era, and Reuters reported that his two-run shot in the home opener against the Cubs pushed him into a share of the league lead at the time. As of April 7, ESPN lists DeLauter at five home runs, nine RBIs and a 1.048 OPS for the season. That is not just a promising debut. That is impact production right now. MLB | Reuters | ESPN

What stands out most is that the production has arrived with presence. DeLauter does not look rushed by the stage, and the crowd has responded to that confidence. Cleveland has always embraced players who feel like they belong here — players who do not need months to win people over. DeLauter’s bat has handled that part. The walk-up song has taken care of the rest.

There is something fitting about this particular anthem catching on. DeLauter is from Frederick, Maryland, played at James Madison, and carries the kind of blue-collar, no-frills style that lands well in a place like Cleveland. “Country Roads” already had the bones of a crowd song. Now the right-field section has given it a local rewrite, and suddenly every DeLauter plate appearance feels a little bigger, a little louder, and a little more connected to the people in the seats.

That matters over 162 games. Every team talks about energy. Not every team finds it organically. The Guardians may have found it in a rookie right fielder with easy power, a fast start, and a fan base willing to turn his walk-up music into a ballpark tradition before Tax Day.

If DeLauter keeps driving the ball the way he has through the season’s opening stretch, the chorus is only going to spread. And if it does, Progressive Field may have stumbled into one of the best in-game traditions in baseball — one built in real time around a rookie who already looks like he belongs in the middle of Cleveland’s next winning core.

Fans Are Already Running With It