After a horrifying incident in Tuesday night’s game between the Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers — the most important game of the season for both teams with first place in the American League Central on the line — the Guardians, and baseball fans in general, were waiting for an official update Wednesday afternoon on the condition of fallen designated hitter David Fry.
Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt after the game Tuesday night told reporters that Fry was “OK” after the 29-year-old, third-year DH took a 99 mph Tarik Skubal fastball off of his face.
At about 2:30 p.m., the Guardians released an official update on Fry.
According to the team, Fry sustained “multiple minimally displaced left-sided facial and nasal fractures.” The best news for the Guardians and the 2024 All-Star is that he is not expected to require surgery. His recovery time is estimated at six to eight weeks.
On Wednesday afternoon, a report by Associated Press sportswriter Tom Withers said that Fry “sustained a broken nose and facial fractures after he was hit in the face by a pitch from Detroit’s Tarik Skubal in the sixth inning of Cleveland’s 5-2 win over the Tigers, a victory that deadlocked the AL Central division race.
The AP report quoted Vogt in a phone call Wednesday saying of Fry, “He is doing OK, he’s in good spirits. He’s upright, he’s alert.”
Skubal later said that he had attempted to communicate with Fry, but had yet to hear back.
Fry Taken to Nearby Hospital
According to a report by The Athletic, Fry, who was taken from the field in a cart which hen entered under his own power, “was initially taken to Lutheran Medical Center and was later transferred to the Cleveland Clinic Main Campus for further testing and observation.”
“Obviously we’re glad he’s OK, but obviously it’s really a scary moment,” Vogt said, discussing the sixth-inning incident, which saw Fry immediately collapse to the ground with blood flowing from his nose area. “He’s getting tested. He’s stayed conscious the whole time. Definitely some injuries there.”
Skubal Reaches Out to Stricken Opponent
Fry had squared around to bunt against Skubal, and was effectively facing the pitcher full-on when the pitch came in. Though replays did not clearly show the ball making any contact with Fry’s bat, the pitch was ruled a foul ball rather than a hit-batsman.
With the count 2-2, rookie George Valera was sent in by Vogt to finish Fry’s at-bat, but took a called third strike.
Skubal, the Tigers lefty ace and the favorite to repeat as AL Cy Young Award winner, was clearly upset over the injury to Fry, putting a hand over his mouth in horror and slamming his hat on the ground, then turning away as if unable to look at the unsettling scene.
After the game, Skubal revealed that he had sent a text message to Fry in the hospital.
“I’ve already reached out to him. I’m sure his phone’s blowing up. I just want to make sure he’s all right. He seemed okay coming off the field, and hopefully it stays that way,” Skubal said, as quitted by reporter Evan Woodbery of the Mlive Michigan-area news site. “I look forward to, hopefully tonight or tomorrow morning, getting a text from him and making sure he’s all good. There are things that are bigger than the game, and his health is more important than a baseball game.”
Guardians Take Over 1st Place in AL Central
Skubal appeared to lose his bearings on the mound after the incident. Having already allowed one run to let the Tigers‘ lead slip to 2-1, the AL ERA leader (2.21) then allowed two more runs to score on a balk and a wild pitch — only the second balk and 11th wild pitch of Skubal’s six-year career win which he has started 134 games and relieved in three more.
The Guardians ended up winning the game 5-2 — their 17th win in the team’s last 20 games. With the victory, Cleveland moved into a sole possession of first place in the AL Central, because the win also gave the Guardians a season-series triumph over Detroit and as a result, the tiebreaker for postseason qualification.
David Fry Injury Update: Latest Report From Team After 99 mph Fastball to Face