David Fry’s return to the Guardians has been more of a waiting game than a chance to matter, and that’s costing Cleveland one of its most useful roster pieces.
On Saturday, in the fourth inning of an 8-2 loss to the Royals, Fry lined a Daniel Lynch IV changeup into the right-field corner for a double. He reached second, turned toward the Guardians’ dugout and tapped his hands under his chin. It was a fitting little moment for a player trying to wake up after a long quiet stretch - especially since it was his first hit since his home run against the White Sox on July 2.
That kind of stop-and-start stretch has become familiar for Fry. He’s a utility player, so bouncing around is part of the job. But the last month has still been unusually unstable.
After the Guardians sent him to Triple-A following their trades for Jo Adell and Nathaniel Lowe, Fry produced at the minor-league level and then got the call back on Aug. 19 when Rhys Hoskins landed on the injured list. The problem is that the return hasn’t come with much opportunity. Since rejoining the club, Fry has mostly watched from the bench.
That’s where the frustration starts. Even with Fry going through what is now a second straight rough season - which helps explain why he was sent down in the first place - Cleveland is not getting the full value of what he can do.
The biggest reminder of that value came during the first half of the 2024 season, when Fry was one of the best players in baseball. His bat was rolling then, as shown by a 1.114 OPS over the first two months.
But the offense wasn’t the whole story. He was also moving all over the field, getting time at first base, third base, catcher and left field.
That versatility is what got him onto the roster, and the hot hitting turned him into an All-Star.
Now the offense has fallen off sharply from that early-2024 burst, but Fry still brings something Cleveland can use: defensive flexibility. He has experience at catcher, first base, third base, right field and left field. That kind of piece gives Stephen Vogt real options, including the ability to shift him around the diamond and stay aggressive with pinch-hitting decisions for his catcher.
Instead, that edge has been blunted. Since Fry came back up, his only appearance before Saturday came as a pinch-hitter against the Angels, and he ended up in left field.
Part of the limited usage has to do with the run of right-handed starters the Guardians have faced. But it also reflects how much less aggressive Vogt has been with Fry off the bench, in part because Fry has been locked into a first-base platoon with Lowe.
That setup made more sense when the platoon was Hoskins and Lowe, since both are strictly first basemen. With Fry, it narrows the picture. Cleveland is using him at first and taking away the defensive versatility that makes him valuable in the first place.
Against Kansas City, Fry went 1-for-1 with a walk before being lifted for Lowe in the seventh inning when the Royals brought in right-handed reliever John Schreiber.
That may fit Cleveland’s obsession with the platoon advantage, but it doesn’t get the most out of Fry.
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Chase DeLauter brings a different kind of question, but the same urgency. His offensive performance has been encouraging enough to make him a real part of the clubs future plans, even if the injury history adds some hesitation on both sides. For a front office that values cost certainty as much as upside, the timing on a possible extension for DeLauter may matter just as much as the decision on Williams. [Read more 🡒]
Cleveland Fans Have One Last Shot At September Ballpark Giveaways
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The appeal goes beyond the merch, too, because these events are built to pull in kids, families and casual fans who want a little extra around the baseball. With dates, start times, venue addresses and parking details all laid out, the only real question is which night becomes the must-hit stop for collectors trying to squeeze in one more ballpark trip this month. [Read more 🡒]
Angel Martnez Is Forcing A Bigger Guardians Question
Angel Martnez kept giving the Guardians reasons to keep finding his name in the lineup, even in a loss to Kansas City. He homered early and drove in all three Cleveland runs in the 8-3 defeat, continuing a season in which he has already pushed past his previous career highs in home runs and RBIs despite missing time with injury.
The bigger question now is where he fits best as the Guardians try to make room for his bat without sacrificing too much else. Cleveland has moved Martnez to a corner outfield spot, and the defensive numbers have looked better than they did a year ago, which only sharpens the debate around how much value he can squeeze out of that role going forward. [Read more 🡒]