David Fry Expected To Play a Major Role for Cleveland Guardians in 2026

There are very few players out there like David Fry.

The 30-year-old utility has held several different roles for the Cleveland Guardians since joining the team back in 2021. He worked his way up through the minors, became a consistent hitter and then had his game expanded on the fielding end, being able to sport many different hats.

In 2025, he dealt with injuries, though, and all that ground he had made up over the course of the previous two seasons in the majors came screeching to a halt.

And after it finally looked like he was going to be back in full swing just in time for the 2025 MLB Postseason. But as fate would have it, that wouldn't be the case. Fry was struck with a fastball to the face from Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal, ruling him out for six-to-eight weeks with multiple facial and nasal fractures.

Fortunately, while the Guardians did end up bowing out of the playoffs a bit earlier than they would have hoped, the offseason gave Fry plenty of time to get back up to speed. He's healthy and ready to go for the upcoming campaign.

Manager Stephen Vogt, who spoke about Fry back during the MLB Winter Meetings, said that his recovery didn't have any bumps in the road.

“I'm just excited that David is going to be healthy,” Vogt said. “Obviously avoided a big scare there at the end of the year. That was a scary moment, so thankfully he's OK.”

In 2025, Fry played a total of 66 major league games while trying to rehab from Tommy John surgery, something he underwent the previous offseason. During his time on the field, he slashed .171/.229/.363 for an OPS of .592, showcasing the power that he's always had, but a need for a bit better consistency.

He knocked four doubles and eight home runs with 23 RBIs, all categories that the Guardians as a whole struggled with the entire season. If he were healthy, especially heading into the playoffs, Cleveland's season probably could have gone a completely different direction.

Back in 2024, he was one of the most reliable deep-range batters in the American League. He slashed .263/.356/.448 for an OPS of .804, which earned him an All-Star selection, the only one of his career.

Heading into the upcoming season, the hope for the Guardians is that he can bring back out that 2024 form and stay healthy to give this team a bit of a spark.

Another major part of his game is his ability to play just about anywhere on the fielding end. Since joining the team at Progressive Field, he's suited up as a designated hitter, first baseman, third baseman, left fielder, right fielder and catcher. That ability to play wherever he's asked makes him an even more valuable asset for the Guardians.

“David healthy, him being able to catch and play the field a little bit, too, probably, it just adds a completely different dynamic to our team,” Vogt said.

With the team looking to deploy countless prospects in the upcoming year, his ability to fill in on the fly will probably end up being a regular occurrence, especially in day-to-day lineup changes.

They'll need his leadership, fielding and heavy-hitting abilities to be on full display by the time the season rolls around.

Fortunately, he'll have a bit more time to acclimate himself back to professional baseball following last seasons injury.

The Guardians and Fry will have their first look at MLB Spring Training on Saturday, Feb. 21, with first pitch slated for 3:05 p.m. EST. They'll take on the Cincinnati Reds from Goodyear Ballpark in Arizona.