Cleveland Guardians DH David Fry sustained multiple facial injuries, including a broken nose and fractures, after a pitch from Tarik Skubal struck him in the face during the sixth inning of Cleveland’s 5-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night, tightening the race in the AL Central.
The frightening moment unfolded when Fry attempted to bunt against a 99 mph fastball from Skubal. The ball struck him squarely in the nose and mouth, sending him to the ground clutching his face. Skubal, visibly shaken, tossed his glove and hat aside as Vogt and the training staff rushed to Fry’s aid. Fry remained down for several minutes before teammates and medical staff helped him sit up; he managed to give a thumbs-up gesture before being taken off the field on a cart. The Guardians later announced that he was transferred from Lutheran Medical Center to Cleveland Clinic’s main campus for additional tests and monitoring.
Manager Stephen Vogt said Wednesday morning that he visited Fry in the hospital, where he was listed in stable condition: “He’s doing all right, he’s in good spirits. He’s alert and sitting up.” Vogt added: “We’re all thinking about David and his family right now. Obviously, we’re glad he is OK, but obviously it’s a really scary moment.”
Skubal, last year’s AL Cy Young Award winner, had been dominant through the first five innings, allowing just two hits. After the game, he admitted the scene shook him, saying it was “really tough. I’ve already reached out to him. I’m sure his phone is blowing up. I just want to make sure he’s all right. Obviously, he seemed like he was OK coming off the field, and hopefully it stays that way. I know sometimes with those things that can change. So hopefully he’s all right. I look forward to hopefully at some point tonight or [Wednesday] morning getting a text from him and making sure he’s all good because there’s things that are bigger than the game, and the health of him is more important than a baseball game.”
In the aftermath of the incident, Skubal remained rattled; his next pitch to George Valera (who replaced Fry) went wild, allowing a run to score. He went on to commit a throwing error, and was called for a balk when he attempted an odd behind-the-back toss to first base. Cleveland capitalized and earned three runs in the inning without hitting the ball out of the infield, taking a 3-2 lead that ultimately led to their win.
Fry, an All-Star last season who returned in late May after offseason elbow surgery, has been a key presence in the clubhouse. Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan said the incident regarding his teammate was “definitely really scary. For David to even try something like that [bunt], that’s just who he is. Selfless kind of guy, and especially in a position like that, he’s a tough guy. Thankfully he had some humor when he came up, but you don’t want to see a guy that’s been with you pretty much the whole year [get hurt]. Obviously energy-wise, just who he is as a teammate, he’s meant so much to us as a team. It’s really scary, but thankfully he had some humor coming off the field, so hopefully we get some good news.”
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