The Cleveland Guardians enjoyed a remarkable 2024 season with rookie manager Stephen Vogt, reaching the American League Championship Series.
What enhanced the campaign’s impressiveness was that Cleveland advanced this far without two essential pitchers and one of its major hitters contending with an injury.
In a recent piece, Joe Noga of Cleveland.com reported that Vogt has offered some positive news about Trevor Stephan, Shane Bieber, and David Fry.
“Manager Stephen Vogt informed reporters this week that experienced pitchers like Shane Bieber and Trevor Stephan, who had elbow surgeries at the beginning of 2024, might make a comeback in the season’s first half,” Noga stated. “Utility player David Fry, on the other hand, might make his comeback by late June following elbow surgery in November.”
Stephan did not make any pitches in 2024 after what was first identified as a severe bone bruise in his pitching elbow last spring ultimately resulted in him having surgery on his right UCL that ended his season. The right-handed reliever had 180 relief outings for Cleveland between 2021 and 2023, and aims to reconnect with one of the top bullpen groups in baseball.
Bieber had two starts for the Guardians last year, achieving remarkable statistics akin to the initial two starts of his 2020 AL Cy Young Award-winning season. Nevertheless, he ultimately had to have season-ending Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow.
Fry, on the other hand, continued to play despite experiencing soreness in his right elbow that he had been feeling since late June. He received his first MLB All-Star selection and later achieved three pinch-hit RBIs in Game 4 of the ALDS, along with a walk-off homer in Game 3 of the ALCS.
However, Fry had right elbow surgery at the end of October, making it likely that he will return as a full-time designated hitter in the 2025 season.
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