David Fry’s 2025 season was never going to be normal. After playing just about every position on defense with the Cleveland Guardians in 2024, Fry was limited to being solely a designated hitter coming off offseason elbow surgery, which prevented him from throwing a baseball.
Even when Fry was activated off the injured list, he still spent the rest of the year doing a throwing program to build strength back up in his arm, which was time he wasn’t able to spend on his hitting.
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By the end of the season, Fry had a .171/.229/.363 slash line with a strikeout rate of 36.9 percent.
That leaves the big question for the upcoming season: What type of production will Fry give the Guardians in 2026?
Jul 20, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians designated hitter David Fry (6) hits an RBI double during the fourth inning against the Athletics at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Defensively, Fry should be back in the mix as a super utility player who can play the outfield, either corner position on the infield, and take reps as Cleveland’s backstop. That defensive versatility will alone help Fry earn a spot on Cleveland’s roster, but it could do much more, too.
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Being back on the field could also mean Fry returns to being a productive hitter.
The two may not seem connected byt manager Stephen Vogt said earlier this offseason that Fry being able to play the field will hopefully “alleviate a lot of the pressure he was putting on himself to only produce at the plate for really over a year.”
That high strikeout rate signals a player trying to do way too much in the batter’s box.
Coming off a rough 2025 season, it’s hard to fully predict and evaluate what type of production Fry will have next season.
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Fry may never have admitted it, but not playing the field and hitting only when clearly on base affected his production in the batter’s box. Fry posted a .804 OPS in 2024, which dropped to .592 in 2025. The right-hander may never get back to his All-Star form, but the true production likely falls somewhere in the middle.
A realistic expectation is that Fry is closer to the 2023 version of himself, when the right-hander logged a .735 OPS.
It’s safe for the Guardians to expect at least somewhere close to league-average production from a healthy Fry that is also getting more opportunities to play in the field. If Fry can do that, he’ll play a key role for Cleveland in 2026.
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