**Guardians Activate David Fry, Place Walters on IL and Designate Bolton for Assignment**

The Cleveland Guardians have made several roster moves that will influence their lineup in the coming weeks. The team announced that David Fry, the versatile utilityman, has been activated from the 60-day injured list. In related moves, right-hander Andrew Walters was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right lat strain, and righty Nic Enright was called up from Triple-A. Additionally, Cody Bolton was designated for assignment to make room for Fry on the 40-man roster.

Fry has been recovering from elbow surgery performed last November, which necessitated his stay on the 60-day IL to start the season. Now ready to contribute, Fry will return to the lineup strictly as a designated hitter, as he remains unable to throw post-surgery. Fry’s versatility is a significant loss to Cleveland, as he played multiple positions including catcher, both corner infield spots, and corner outfield. His strong offensive output last season, with a .263/.356/.448 line and 14 home runs, positioned him as one of the team's top hitters.

The Guardians will face a positional dilemma with Fry back in the lineup but limited to playing as a DH. With Carlos Santana and Kyle Manzardo alternating between first base and the designated hitter role, finding consistent playing time for all three may challenge manager Stephen Vogt. Santana, seeing everyday action, and the left-handed Manzardo, who primarily avoids facing left-handed pitchers, will need strategic rotation to accommodate Fry.

The outfield still poses a challenge for the Guardians, especially with the ongoing struggles of Lane Thomas, who has now been placed on the 10-day IL due to plantar fasciitis. Thomas, with a dismal .119/.169/.136 performance over 65 plate appearances, hasn’t fully recovered from a previous wrist injury, further thinning the outfield depth. Will Brennan’s stint on the injured list compounds the problem, leaving Steven Kwan as a mainstay and Angel Martinez, Nolan Jones, and Jhonkensy Noel to fill the remaining positions.

Andrew Walters, recently called up, heads to the 15-day IL after just two appearances due to a right lat strain. In response, Nic Enright has been elevated from Triple-A Columbus to provide relief depth. Meanwhile, Cody Bolton, briefly called up in April for a single relief appearance, has been designated for assignment. Bolton, acquired from the Mariners earlier in the season, owns a career 5.79 ERA over 42 major-league innings but has seen more success in Triple-A, with a 3.42 ERA in over 157 innings.

The Guardians' recent roster shuffles underscore the intricacies of maintaining an effective lineup amidst injuries and performance struggles. The team's ability to integrate Fry’s bat and address outfield depth will be critical as the season progresses.