Serving as a seldom-used utility player is one of the most difficult jobs in baseball. It is hard to develop a rhythm at the plate, but they need to produce no matter what, whenever they are called on.
The Cleveland Guardians entered the 2026 season with multiple players facing that challenging role. One of them, Daniel Schneemann, has performed so well that he has basically become a regular in the lineup.
Another, David Fry, has not been used as much. But according to manager Stephen Vogt, he remains a valuable member of the ballclub.
Fry proved his worth with a two-run homer against the Kansas City Royals on Monday, and afterward, Vogt acknowledged that his hard work is paying off.
“David’s been working extremely hard. His scarce playing time, but he’s always ready. He’s been swinging the bat really well as of late, and it’s due to his hard work,” Vogt said, via Cade Cracas.
#Guardians manager Stephen Vogt on David Fry's recent play:
"David's been working extremely hard. His scarce playing time, but he's always ready. He's been swinging the bat really well as of late, and it's due to his hard work."#GuardsBall
— Cade Cracas (@CracasCade) May 5, 2026
The 6-2 loss was Fry’s 20th appearance in 36 games this season. He has a .262 batting average that is among the best on the team, and his .892 OPS is second only to Chase DeLauter. Fry has three home runs in 42 at-bats, with nine walks and 16 strikeouts.
Last season, he was limited to DH as he was recovering from elbow surgery. In September, while attempting to bunt, he was hit in the face by a pitch from Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal and was unable to participate in the playoffs.
This year, Fry has played nine games in right field (six starts), four at catcher (two starts), and one at first base, with five at DH in addition to pinch-hitting. He appeared in just three games between April 12 and April 25, but he has been more active lately, playing in two of the past three.
With starting catcher Bo Naylor still batting below .150 more than a month into the season, it could be argued that Fry deserves more playing time behind the plate. However, that would limit his value as a valuable bench piece for Vogt to employ as needed.
Bus as long as he stays ready, Fry will continue to play an important role for the Guardians this season.
NEXT: David Fry Believes Guardians Pitcher Deserves More Support Soon
