The Cleveland Guardians offense has some up-and-coming talent, such as Chase DeLauter, Angel Martinez, George Valera, and even the suddenly struggling Juan Brito. That doesn’t mean it isn’t flawed, though.
This version of the Guardians’ offense is better than years past, but it’s still inconsistent and could still use some help. Right now, too many veterans are struggling, including 2024 All-Star David Fry.
After that stellar season, Fry had to undergo Tommy John surgery to fix ligament damage in one of his elbows. His 2025 campaign was rough, which was understandable to some degree as he worked his way back into game action. He slashed .171/.229/.363 with a 63 wRC+ in 157 plate appearances.
Things were expected to improve in 2026, though, now that he’s further removed from the procedure. That hasn’t been the case, though.
“Cleveland Guardians David Fry over his last 74 games dating back to 6/7/25: 27-162, 18 R, 5 (2B), 7 HR, 21 RBI, 12 BB, 64 SO. AVG .167, OBP .233,” Guardians Prospective posted on X.
Cleveland #Guardians David Fry over his last 74 games dating back to 6/7/25.
27-162 18R 5(2B) 7HR 21RBI 12BB 64SO
AVG .167
OBP .233— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) April 15, 2026
Things are starting to get worrisome for Fry and the Guardians. Maybe 2024, when he posted a 129 wRC+, was going to be a career year for him anyway, but he hasn’t even sniffed league-average offensive performance since returning from the major surgery.
The Guardians won’t say it publicly, but they might be starting to think that he might never recover the form that made him a selection for the 2024 Midsummer Classic.
It’s been a while since he’s been a productive hitter, and in MLB, offensive performance matters more than almost anything else. Fry is versatile and a great clubhouse guy, but he might not survive the season with the team if he keeps hitting like this.
The Guardians are getting better and deeper, producing quality players in the positions Fry usually occupies, including catcher. If he can’t turn it around, the organization will likely consider giving them more of a chance at the expense of Fry’s playing time.
Cleveland, as an organization, is very patient, but everything has its limits. Time will tell how much longer they want to wait for his timing to return.
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