Guardians offseason approach must account for long-term absence of David Fry

In a development of the expected variety, it was announced that Cleveland Guardians utility man David Fry has undergone surgery for a ligament injury that is going to sideline him for an extended period of time. Fry will be able to return as a designated hitter in 6-8 months, while it will take a full year until he can return to playing in the field. Even though it appears that Fry will be able to contribute in some capacity in 2025, the Guardians must approach this offseason as if Fry will not be available to them at all.

This goes beyond matching up Fry's recovery timeline in conjunction with next season. Sure, Fry should be able to contribute at some point in 2025, but when that moment comes, it will be exclusively as Cleveland's DH. When evaluating the roster as currently constructed, there are three candidates for that spot before accounting for Fry in Josh Naylor, Kyle Manzardo, and Jhonkensy Noel. With Naylor and Manzardo splitting time at first base and Noel making the occasional appearance at first and seeing time in the outfield, there really is no way to insert Fry into the equation before being able to return to the field without benching one of those three. Of course, an opening could be created if the Guardians decide to trade Naylor this winter, but that is a conversation for a different day.

Something else to consider is what if Fry struggles upon his return to action or for a prolonged period? What if Fry experiences some sort of setback and his return timetable gets pushed back?. Counting on him being a key cog in the lineup and not getting the expected production would be a huge blow if the Guardians do not act accordingly when it comes to roster construction this offseason. Cleveland must bring in at least one external option to avoid this potentially disastrous outcome.

If the Guardians want to actually take advantage of their competitive window and put up a much better fight against the star-studded teams that just took part in the World Series, they must operate without factoring David Fry into their plans. That way, if there is any sort of issue like the ones mentioned above, they will have adequately prepared themselves to still be successful. And if Fry is able to replicate his 2024 production, that would be a very welcome bonus that could make this team even more formidable next season.