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.
AKRON, OHIO -- Standing outside the home clubhouse at Canal Park on Tuesday, David Fry joked about the sense of familiarity he felt after suiting up for Double-A Akron -- in front of an energetic crowd full of excited kids, as familiar music played, while the Rubberducks hosted “Education Day.”
“I have a 1-and-a-half-year-old daughter, so I’ve been hearing a lot of ‘Baby Shark’ lately,” Fry said before flashing a smile. “Just more of the same today.”
Tuesday marked another key step for Fry as he continues his comeback from the UCL revision surgery he underwent on his right elbow in November. The 29-year-old’s rehab assignment moved to Akron after he played in three games in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League last week.
Fry went 1-for-3 with an RBI on Tuesday. He struck out, hit a single to center field (98.7 mph exit velocity) and lined out to shortstop (102.6 mph exit velocity). Fry hit an RBI foul out sac fly in his fourth plate appearance.
Fry said he’s “feeling really good” at this stage of his recovery. He’ll be limited to DH duties this season due to his surgery, but his throwing program is coming along. He’s set to play every other day with Akron this week, and while he acknowledged it’s cliche, he’s taking things day by day beyond that, as far as his timeline goes.
“It really is just one day at a time,” Fry said. “You just do what you're told, and whenever they tell me, ‘Hey, you go to Cleveland,’ I'll be fired up.’ But just go where they tell me.”
Whenever Fry is able to rejoin the Guardians, they’ll be fired up to have him. He initially suffered a right elbow strain in June last season, which limited him to DH and first base duties the rest of the way after he had also been playing the outfield and both corner-infield spots. The injury didn’t affect his ability to contribute at the plate.
Fry hit 14 homers and recorded an .804 OPS in 122 regular season games, including an .996 OPS against left-handed pitching. Cleveland entered Tuesday ranked 21st in the Majors with a .642 OPS against lefties.
He crushed a pair of the biggest homers in recent Cleveland postseason history -- a go-ahead pinch-hit solo shot in the seventh inning of Game 4 of the ALDS, and a walk-off two-run shot in the 10th inning of Game 3 against the Yankees in the ALCS.
Fry acknowledged he’s had to fight himself at times throughout the rehab process to keep from pushing too hard. He also knows continued patience is key, as it has been the past six months.
"It’s hard,” Fry said. “The biggest thing is just not getting ahead of yourself and doing what the trainers are telling you, the strength staff. Because the closer you get, you want to do more and more. Like, ‘Oh, I want to do this.’ And it's like, ‘Hey, you’ve got a restricted amount of swings.’ Yeah, you may want to feel something one day, but hey, you just got to follow the program.
“The number one thing is coming back healthy.”
Fry has made steady progress since the first three or four months after his procedure, which he said “was a whole lot of nothing” activity-wise. He’s been doing weighted ball work and is set to start throwing baseballs next week. He progressed from hitting off of a tee months ago to hitting in live batting practice sessions in April.
Those included matchups with recovering right-handed pitchers Shane Bieber and Trevor Stephan, both of whom underwent elbow surgery last spring.
Fry only took eight at-bats in his three games in the Complex League last week, so his stint with Akron is big for him to continue getting work in against live pitching.
“Honestly, [it’s the] same as a regular game,” Fry said. “I want to have a plan in my at-bats, especially since I’m not playing defense right now, and just execute my plan. If I get a hit, great. If not, whatever. But try to take the results out of it always, especially in these games, and just focus on having a good approach and executing.”
Fry has been keeping up with the Guardians from afar, which included April 22 against the Yankees, when Steven Kwan did a gender reveal for him and his wife, Rebekah. The family is expecting a second baby girl to join their first daughter, Evelyn. Rebekah is doing well.
”She's doing really good,” Fry said of Rebekah. “ ... Pregnancy number two is a little different when you're running around with a toddler, but she's a champ. She's the best.”