Guards fans, teammates buoyed by Fry’s return
This story was excerpted from Tim Stebbins’ Guardians Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
NEW YORK — David Fry received a loud ovation from Guardians fans on Sunday when he stepped up to pinch-hit in the eighth inning against the Angels. They may have given him an equally loud one as he walked back to the dugout after striking out swinging on a changeup at the bottom of the zone.
“It was probably one of the coolest strikeouts of my career,” Fry said, laughing. “No, it was cool, though. It was very fun to be back.”
Cleveland fans are, of course, happy to have Fry back in the lineup. The 29-year-old — a postseason hero during the Guardians’ run to the ALCS last fall — was activated off the 60-day injured list on Saturday, after he missed the first two months of the season rehabbing from right UCL revision surgery.
The Guardians share that excitement, certainly considering what Fry can add on the field. He was an All-Star who had a slash line of .287/.430/.566 vs. lefties in 2024. But his impact on the Guardians extends beyond the box score.
“David means more to us than just what he can do on the field,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “There’s been an uplift in the clubhouse the last couple of days. He’s a leader in that room. He makes all of us better. … To hear the reception that he got before and after the at-bat, it’s just good to see David Fry back on a baseball field.
“You never know what things are going to happen when you have surgery; there’s no guarantees. To see him back healthy, being able to help us, it’s a huge lift for all of us.”
Austin Hedges may have as good of a perspective as any Guardians player on how Fry impacts the team day in and day out. Not only is Hedges the biggest leader inside the clubhouse, but he and Fry are locker neighbors at Progressive Field and share a good relationship.
“He’s just a pro. He shows up very prepared every day,” Hedges said of Fry. “He’s about as selfless as it gets. He puts so much energy into his teammates. He cares so much about everybody that, whether you’re a pitcher, position player, he’s going to be there with some type of positive reinforcement in one way or another.
“Personally, I take a lot of pride in the same things, and there’s so many days where I have a hard time doing it myself, and he’s right there to pick me up. And it just means the world. Just the energy that he brings on a daily basis helps us win.”
That energy is important over the course of a long baseball season, and Fry and Hedges kept it light with each other Sunday after the Guardians’ win over the Angels. Hedges playfully jabbed at Fry because the scrum of reporters interviewing him leaked in front of Hedges’ locker. Fry said he tries to be himself everyday in the clubhouse, and he also joked part of his focus each day is keeping Hedges in line.
“We’re just constantly trying to keep the vibes high,” Hedges said. “Whether that’s messing around in the clubhouse or locked in on the field or going over a game plan, it’s just a constant trying to make some fun out of everything that we do.”
Vogt noted catching is not in the cards for Fry this season as he builds up his throwing program. For now, Fry will be exclusively serving as a DH. Being himself at the plate figures to be a big boost for the Guardians offensively.
“There’s a reason he’s an All-Star,” Hedges said. “He’s an .800 OPS guy, and his career is just getting started. I feel like we haven’t even seen the best of David Fry yet. Obviously, we’re just going to see it offensively this year. But once he comes back next year with his arm healthy, everyone’s going to see the full package, for sure.”