David Fry was taken to a hospital after being hit by a pitch. The moment turned into a bloody scene when the 29-year-old Cleveland Guardians player tried to bunt a ball, then quickly covered his face in pain after a pitch by Detroit Tigers’ Tarik Skubal struck him. Skubal was visibly shaken by the incident and spoke with reporters after the game, which Cleveland won. But baseball fans — from both sides — want an update on Fry’s frightening injury.
Below, get the latest update on Fry’s condition.
Who Is David Fry?
Fry is an outfielder, catcher and first basemen for the Guardians. The Texas native made his MLB debut in 2023, and he was named an All-Star in 2024.
What Happened to David Fry? About His Face Injury
As seen in footage from the September 23, 2025, game, Fry was about to bunt a ball, but that plan fell sideways when the ball missed the bat and struck him straight in the face. Fry reacted and quickly fell to the ground, wincing in pain as he covered his face. Meanwhile, the pitcher, Skubal, covered his mouth in shock, took off his hat and briefly walked off the mound.
David Fry exited the game after being hit in the face by a pitch.
He was able to walk under his own power and was carted off the field. pic.twitter.com/IrFO20gBbR
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) September 24, 2025
Guardians and Tigers players were visibly stunned as medics rushed to Fry’s side. An encouraging sign emerged, though, when Fry was able to stand up and walk onto the medical cart. He held a towel to his face to stop the bleeding.
Update After David Fry Was Hospitalized
Guardians reporter Tim Stebbins shared updates via X on September 23 about Fry’s hospitalization. He tweeted that Fry was “undergoing further assessment at Lutheran Medical Center” before the athlete was transferred to the Cleveland Clinic Main Campus for “further testing and observation and is likely to be held overnight, per the Guardians.”
After the game, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt told reporters that Fry was “getting tested” at the hospital and “stayed conscious the whole time,” which was a positive sign.
“Definitely some injuries there,” he acknowledged. “So, I’ll give you an update tomorrow.”
Skubal spoke with reporters as well about the harrowing moment. According to the Associated Press, the pitcher said he had “already reached out to” Fry, though was “sure his phone [was] blowing up.”
“I just want to make sure he’s all right,” Skubal said. “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.”
Skubal added that he was looking forward to “hopefully, at some point” receiving a text from Fry 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 next day, on September 24, Vogt told the Associated Press that Fry sustained a broken nose and facial fractures.
