Cleveland Guardians designated hitter/utilityman David Fry will turn 29 years old in November.
He is not a hotshot prospect, but he is one of those rare cases of players who break out in their late twenties.
They are often called “late bloomers”, and Fry is certainly one of them.
His minor league performance suggested better production than the .734 OPS he posted last season in Cleveland.
However, few people, and perhaps not even himself, expected a .305/.412/.508 line with eight long balls and a .920 OPS to this point.
Those numbers, of course, earned him an All-Star selection.
It will be the first time in his short career that he will play the Midsummer Classic.
He still can’t believe it, and his hilarious response to a question regarding the All-Star Game proves it.
“Asked if he thought he would be an All-Star at the start of this year, Guardians utility man David Fry said, “Maybe a Triple-A All-Star,” MLB senior writer Anthony Castrovince tweeted.
Asked if he thought he would be an All-Star at the start of this year, Guardians utility man David Fry said, “Maybe a Triple-A All-Star.”
— Anthony Castrovince (@castrovince) July 7, 2024
We can see Fry, besides being a fantastic ballplayer, has an All-Star sense of humor.
His contributions extend well beyond the plate, where he has been magnificent and has given the Guardians another top hitter.
He is also capable of covering multiple positions around the diamond, including catcher, first base, third base, right field and left field.
This defensive versatility provides multiple quick solutions for manager Stephen Vogt at the time of putting together the lineup and managing injuries and workloads.
He is, in other words, a manager’s dream: a player capable of running an OPS over .900 while playing all around the diamond.
His spot among American League All-Stars is very much deserved and is a way to acknowledge what he has done for Cleveland this year.
NEXT: Numbers Reveal Impressive Turnaround By Veteran Guardians Starter
