Cleveland Guardians designated hitter David Fry sustained a broken nose and facial fractures Tuesday night when a 99 mph fastball from Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal struck him in the face during a 5-2 victory that tied the AL Central race.

The incident, which occurred in the sixth inning at Progressive Field, left the team and fans reeling.

 

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The Guardians issued a statement on Wednesday to update concerned fans on Fry’s condition and to express appreciation for all those who provided medical assistance to the athlete, News 5 Cleveland reported.

The statement read, in part, “Imaging and clinical examination confirmed that David sustained multiple, minimally displaced, left-sided facial and nasal fractures. While the injury will require close monitoring, including serial assessments, David is expected to fully recover over the next 6-to-8 weeks without the need for surgery. David was recently discharged from the Cleveland Clinic and is resting comfortably.”

Fry was attempting to bunt when the pitch hit him in the nose and mouth area, causing him to collapse in the batter’s box with blood streaming from his face.

“It was straight to the face,” manager Stephen Vogt said Wednesday morning by phone, reflecting on the jarring moment. “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.”

Vogt, who visited Fry in the hospital, added, “He is doing OK, he’s in good spirits. He’s upright, he’s alert.”

After lying on the ground for several minutes, Fry gave a thumbs-up as trainers helped him to a cart. He was then transported to Lutheran Medical Center and later to the Cleveland Clinic Main Campus for further evaluation.

A shaken Skubal, the reigning AL Cy Young winner, removed his glove and cap as medical staff rushed to assist.

“Really tough,” Skubal said postgame, the Associated Press reported. “I’ve already reached out to him. … I just want to make sure he’s all right. … There’s things that are bigger than the game, and the health of him is more important than a baseball game.”

Teammate Steven Kwan echoed the concern. “Definitely really scary,” Kwan said. “For David to even try something like that (bunt), that’s just who he is. Selfless kind of 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.”

The 2024 All-Star, who rejoined the team in late May after offseason elbow surgery, has been a vital presence, Kwan noted.

The incident disrupted Skubal’s dominant outing — two hits allowed through five innings—as he struggled in the sixth. A wild pitch to pinch-hitter George Valera scored a run, and Skubal’s unorthodox between-the-legs throw to first resulted in an error. A balk call further aided Cleveland’s three-run rally, securing the lead without an extra-base hit.

Despite the turmoil, the win kept the Guardians level with Detroit in the division.