Fairchild cleared waivers Friday and elected free agency, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
The 30-year-old outfielder lost his place on Cleveland's 40-man roster last Friday to make room for Cooper Ingle, and Fairchild will now explore his options on the open market after passing through waivers. He's put up just a .565 OPS in 27 plate appearances in the majors this season, but his .289/.417/.479 slash line at Triple-A should be enough for him to attract a minor-league deal.