David Fry DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Cleveland Guardians catcher David Fry (elbow) has been cleared to take dry swings. The 29-year-old is recovering from UCL surgery. Fry was recently placed on the 60-day injured list which will keep him sidelined through at least May 26. However, seeing him begin to take swings, could suggest he may be able to see time as a designated hitter sooner than expected. He will be unable to take the field defensively this season. Last summer, Fry enjoyed a breakout season as he logged a career-high 122 games with a .263/.356/.448 line. He went deep 14 times and added 18 doubles. He generated a solid .326 xwOBA and drew walks at an above-average 10.7 percent rate. When he is cleared to return to the lineup, he will be deployed exclusively as a designated hitter, which will limit his playing opportunities. He will compete for starts alongside prospect Kyle Manzardo and Jhonkensy Noel.

The Cleveland Guardians placed catcher David Fry (elbow) on the 60-day injured list on Wednesday. This move was eventually coming after Fry had surgery to fix a torn ligament in his right elbow last November. At the time of the surgery, the 29-year-old was expected to need six to eight months of recovery. It remains to be seen if he'll be able to make his 2025 debut when he's eligible to come off the 60-day IL in late May. Because of the nature of his elbow surgery, he will strictly be in play for the Guardians as a designated hitter whenever he's able to return. The former seventh-round pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2018 out of Northwestern State University of Louisiana was a first-time All-Star in 2024 by hitting .263/.356/.448 with an .804 OPS, 14 homers and 51 RBI in 122 games. Fry has multi-position eligibility and could be useful in fantasy when he returns, but don't count on a repeat of 2024.

According to Zack Meisel of The Athletic, Cleveland Guardians catcher David Fry (elbow) could return to the batter's box in May or June. Meisel noted that given Fry's recovery process from Tommy John, he will not be able to contribute defensively but should be able to return to the batter's box early into the season. Fry underwent this operation in November. After only operating a rotational piece in 2023, Fry enjoyed a breakout season in 2024, as he held a .263/.356/.448 slash line with 18 doubles and 14 long balls. He swiped four bags and tallied 51 RBI. Fry also saw starts at several positions, including behind the plate, third base, the outfield, and first base. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during spring training. When he does return to the lineup, he will only see time as a designated hitter, which could limit his starts. However, given his production last season, he could be worth a look in deeper formats.