CLEVELAND -- A frightening scene unfolded at Progressive Field during the Guardians’ sixth-inning rally against the Tigers on Tuesday, when DH David Fry was struck in the face after attempting to bunt at an offering from left-hander Tarik Skubal.
Fry was squared around in a 2-1 count when Skubal threw a 99.1 mph four-seamer on the inner half of the plate. The ball (which was ruled a foul) struck Fry in the face, and he dropped to the ground immediately.
Manager Stephen Vogt noted postgame the ball missed Fry’s bat entirely and struck him directly in the face. The 29-year-old lay flat on his back in the right-handed batter’s box and covered his face. He received immediate medical attention from team trainers Jeff Desjardins and Chad Wolfe and team doctor Kim Stearns, and a cart came out from under the left-field bleachers.
Vogt said Fry stayed conscious the whole time, but the Guardians announced that he was undergoing further assessment at Lutheran Medical Center. He was then transferred to the Cleveland Clinic Main Campus for further testing and observation, and was likely to be held overnight, according to the club.
“We’re all thinking about David and his family right now,” Vogt said. “Obviously, we're glad he's OK, but obviously it's a really scary moment. I’m thinking about him."
Skubal was visibly shaken by the moment. His body tensed up when Fry was struck, and he tossed his glove and his cap and placed both of his hands on his head. Fry ultimately got to his feet and made it to the cart. Fry gestured to Skubal to let him know he was OK, and he waved to the fans as well as the cart drove down the left-field line.
George Valera finished Fry’s at-bat and struck out.
"It's really tough,” Skubal said. “I've already reached out to him. I'm sure his phone is blowing up. Just want to make sure he's alright. Obviously, he seemed like he was OK coming off the field, and hopefully it stays that way. I know sometimes with those things, they can change, so hopefully he's alright.
“But I look forward to hopefully at some point tonight or tomorrow 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."
The moment was part of a go-ahead three-run rally in the sixth by the Guardians in which they did not hit a ball out of the infield, propelling the Guardians to a 5-2 win over the Tigers. Steven Kwan hit a leadoff bunt, Angel Martínez bunted and reached on a Skubal throwing error and José Ramírez hit an infield single. Skubal threw a wild pitch with Valera at the plate and Gabriel Arias hit an RBI groundout.