The calendar is about to flip, and with a new year comes new expectations. Fans set personal goals — run more, read more, work harder. For the Cleveland Guardians, however, the priority for 2026 is far more direct and far more urgent: fix the offense.
So far, that goal has not been met through splashy moves or headline-grabbing signings. Cleveland’s lone external offensive activity this offseason has been re-signing catcher Austin Hedges and bringing in Stuart Fairchild on a minor league deal. That reality has frustrated portions of the fan base and reinforced the idea that, once again, the Guardians will need to find answers from within.
And if that’s the case, there may be no internal name more important — or more volatile — than David Fry.
Last weekend, MLB.com released a piece identifying each team’s top bounceback candidate for the 2026 season. For Cleveland, beat writer Tim Stebbins didn’t hesitate. Fry, the All-Star breakout of 2024 turned injury-plagued question mark in 2025, was the clear choice.
The pick makes sense. It’s also a gamble.
Fry’s 2024 season felt like a revelation. A versatile switch-hitter who moved all over the diamond, he provided pop, on-base ability, and lineup flexibility that perfectly fit Cleveland’s model. His performance earned him an All-Star nod and cemented him as a key piece of the Guardians’ offensive future.
Then everything unraveled.
Fry’s 2025 season was effectively dead on arrival after he underwent Tommy John surgery in November 2024 to address elbow pain that had hampered him late in the previous year. While he attempted to return earlier than expected, the combination of rust, physical limitations, and inconsistent usage took a visible toll.
After bouncing around the field early in the year, Fry appeared in the field just 14 times after June 24. Over that stretch, he hit only .221 across 67 games, struggling to generate consistent contact or power. When he finally returned to regular action in early June 2025, the results were alarming — his batting average cratered to .130 through his first 30 games.
It never truly recovered.
Fry finished the season hitting .213 over 12 games in September, just as he appeared to be stabilizing, before a nightmare moment abruptly ended his year. A fastball from Tigers ace Tarik Skubal got away and struck Fry square in the face, sending him to the injured list once again and symbolically closing the book on a lost season.
Fortunately, the aftermath was far better than it could have been. Fry underwent successful nasal surgery and is expected to be fully healthy when the 2026 season begins. More importantly, he will be more than a year removed from Tommy John surgery — often the point at which hitters regain strength, timing, and confidence.
For Cleveland, that timing could not be more critical.
The Guardians hit just .226 as a team in 2025, one of the weaker offensive marks in baseball. The designated hitter spot was particularly unproductive, producing a combined .219 batting average. The front office has already thinned that group by designating Jhonkensy Noel for assignment, effectively narrowing the margin for error.
That puts even more pressure on Fry.
As the roster currently stands, Fry is one of just three right-handed hitters on Cleveland’s 40-man roster, alongside outfielder Johnathan Rodríguez and infielder Gabriel Arias. Rodríguez is the only right-handed hitting outfielder on the team, while Arias has yet to fully establish himself offensively at the big-league level.
In other words, the Guardians don’t just want Fry back — they need him back.
What makes Fry so valuable is not just his bat, but his adaptability. He can serve as a designated hitter, corner outfielder, first baseman, or emergency option elsewhere, allowing manager Stephen Vogt to maximize platoon advantages and rest players without sacrificing offense. Last season, Cleveland reached the postseason despite failing to fully capitalize on those platoon strengths. A healthy Fry could change that equation entirely.
There’s risk in this approach, no question. Betting on internal bouncebacks rather than proven external upgrades always carries downside. But Cleveland has lived in that space for years — and often thrived there.
The frustration surrounding the Guardians’ quiet offseason is understandable. Fans want movement. They want proof of ambition. But Fry’s recovery offers a different kind of optimism — one rooted in upside rather than spending.
Every year, contenders get unexpected boosts from players returning to form. For Cleveland in 2026, that player doesn’t wear a new jersey or come with a press conference.
He just needs to stay healthy.
If David Fry looks anything like the All-Star version from 2024, the Guardians’ offense won’t just improve — it could transform. And in a season where margins are thin and expectations are rising, that may be the biggest upgrade Cleveland makes all year.
Leave a Reply