David Fry Making The Most Of His Opportunities With The Guardians

Originally posted on FanNation Cleveland Baseball Insider
By Tommy Wild | Last updated 7/5/23

When Myles Straw threw a bullet in from center field to throw out the go-ahead runner, catcher David Fry had one thing on his mind, don't block home plate.

That's easier said than done for someone who isn't a full-time catcher. The play that Fry pulled off to prevent Sam Hilliard from scoring is even more impressive when you remember that he started the game in left field, a position he's only played once in his career.

Fry described jumping around the field during Tuesday night's game as simple, "wild."

That's not all he did in this game though. The righty stepped into the box in the bottom of the tenth inning and drove in the winning run, helping the Cleveland Guardians walk off the best team in baseball.

After their win over the Atlanta Braves, Terry Francona admitted that playing Fry all over the diamond and outfield is a big ask.

He went on to say, "I think (Fry) is more valuable than other people realize ... There are days when he doesn't play, but you can do things with other people because of his versatility and that'll never show. But that adds value."

Fry is definitely in a unique spot playing so many positions. But his numbers at the plate don't suggest that he's had to put in extra work on defense.

Fry has now appeared in 25 games for the Guardians accumulating 41 plate appearances. However, he's started in eight of those games with the other 17 coming as a substitute.

Even with having sporadic at-bats, Fry has still put together a slash line of .293/.341/.390 with an OPS of .731. Plus, he's hitting .320 with an OPS of .873 in a game where he's in the starting lineup.

I'll admit that I didn't think that Fry would be in Cleveland's plans at the start of the season because of how deep their farm system already is. But it's hard to deny what he's been able to do in a limited role.

Fry has made the most of his opportunities and deserves the chance to see what he can do with everyday at-bats.

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This article first appeared on FanNation Cleveland Baseball Insider and was syndicated with permission.

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