The Cleveland Guardians are slowly getting healthy.
Lane Thomas has already started a rehab assignment, Shane Bieber’s recovery is moving along nicely, and others are also inching closer to the majors.
One of them is David Fry, who got his first All-Star nod last year and had a career-best season.
Unfortunately, he had to undergo Tommy John surgery immediately after the Guardians’ brilliant postseason run, in November.
Tommy John surgery is not as tragic for position players as it is for pitchers, which is why Fry was always in play to return this year at least as a designated hitter.
He started to play minor league games in the Arizona Complex League a few days ago, and now he is ready to move up his rehab a few levels.
“Per @DreKnott: Cleveland #Guardians David Fry will begin a rehab assignment at Double-A Akron next week,” Guardians Prospective posted on X.
Per @DreKnott
Cleveland #Guardians David Fry will begin a rehab assignment at Double-A Akron next week.
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) May 17, 2025
The games he played in the Complex League were for him to get his feet wet and regain the feel for hitting.
Now, starting next week, things will get serious.
Double-A pitchers will represent harder competition: the games he plays there will be to test his bat speed and power post-surgery, not to mention getting his timing back.
Since he doesn’t really have too many at-bats under his belt after the surgery, he is expected to be in Double-A (and potentially Triple-A relatively soon) for a while.
He needs to get back his timing at the plate before facing big league pitching, and that could take weeks, not days.
The reward will be having a guy capable of posting a 129 wRC+ in 122 games, as he did last year, while playing multiple positions.
NEXT: Guardians Young Outfielder Is Making A Case For A Call-Up
