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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.”
