How Cleveland Guardians Will Work David Fry Back Into the Mix

It's been a long-time coming, but David Fry may finally be fully healthy.

The Cleveland Guardians' super utility spent much of the 2025 campaign trying to get off the injured list, dealing with Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and then a facial fracture after being hit in the face by a pitch from Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, late in the campaign.

Heading into the 2026 campaign, the Guardians' coaching staff has made it known that Fry is going to play a major role behind home plate for the team. He will likely suit up and split time with Bo Naylor at the position, who's still looking for consistency in the hitting department.

Already, in spring training, he was given the nod to play in the team's 6-0 win over the Athletic's.

"His arm looks incredible," Vogt said about Fry postgame. "His throw-downs in between innings were strong, on the money. He did the one back-pick. He was itching for somebody to run. It's been a couple of years for David where he's had to think about how bad his elbow is going to hurt.

"For him to be able to just throw, not worry about it, that was really fun.”

Stephen Vogt delivers an eye-opening update on David Fry’s arm strength heading into the season.

"His arm looks incredible. His throw-downs in-between innings were strong, on the money. He did the one back-pick. He was itching for somebody to run," Vogt said. "It's been a couple… pic.twitter.com/e0cKVNyn3F
— Guardians Nation (@GuardiansNation) February 23, 2026

While Fry wasn't able to throw anyone down due to the pitching play being excellent, giving up just four hits the whole game, he was still itching for the possibility of it happening.

"As soon as somebody got on base,” Fry said, “I was like, ‘I just want to back-pick somebody. I just want to throw the ball and be back to [being] a normal catcher.’”

Fry's Effectiveness Before Injury Bug

Prior to dealing with injury issues, Fry was a staple for the Guardians in numerous areas.

On the hitting side, he was slashing an impressive .257/.348/.440 for an OPS of .788. What made him so special was his knack for hitting with power, crushing 24 doubles and 18 home runs, while keeping a keen eye with 114 strikeouts to 50 walks.

In 2024, he was even selected to participate in the All-Star game. That season, he also posted a bWAR of 1.4, giving more credit to how effective he was at the plate.

In the field, he played just about any position the coaching staff asked of him. He suited up at catcher for 52 games, first base for 39, left field for 18, right field for 11, third for five and even as a pitcher for two. He was also the team's designated hitter on 99 occasions.

That versatility is what makes him so special, yet in 2025, the Guardians certainly missed it as he couldn't do anything outside of being a designated hitter due to injury. With him returning back to health in 2026, the team is going to regain its extra edge in lineup creation.

Vogt knows just how important being healthy is to both Fry and the team at large. After his appearance on Sunday, the two shared a heartfelt moment.

“He gave me a hug in the dugout [and said], ‘Just really cool to see you back out there,’” Fry said after the game. “He's a pretty special dude, and he knows what it's like to kind of go through some stuff in a playing career. Cool from him.”

As Fry continues to get back up to speed, he will likely continue to get limited time for the Guardians in spring training. Over the coming days, the Guardians will take on the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, Feb. 24, the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, Feb. 25, the Seattle Mariners on Thursday, Feb. 26 and the Chicago Cubs on Friday, Feb. 27.