Fry of Guardians Avoids Surgery After Fractures: Recovery in 6-8 Weeks

David Fry Suffers Multiple Facial Fractures After Being Hit by a Ball

Cleveland, Ohio – The Cleveland Guardians received mixed news following Tuesday night’s incident, when their designated hitter, David Fry, was hit in the face by a 99.1 mph fastball thrown by the Tigers’ Tarik Skubal. The team announced this Wednesday that Fry suffered multiple facial and nasal fractures on the left side, although with minimal displacement. Fortunately, surgery will not be necessary and the 29-year-old player is expected to recover in an estimated period of 6 to 8 weeks. The player was discharged from the Cleveland Clinic and is currently at home, according to reports from the Guardians. The organization placed him on the 10-day injured list and announced the promotion of Johnathan Rodríguez from Triple-A Columbus. The incident occurred in the sixth inning of the game at Progressive Field, during a three-run rally that led Cleveland to victory. The stadium fell silent after the impact, while Fry was attended to on the field by the club’s medical staff. Skubal, visibly affected, took off his cap and glove and looked concerned.

“It’s very difficult,” Skubal expressed after the game. “I already communicated with him. I know those situations can change over time, but I hope he’s okay. His health is more important than any baseball game.”

Tarik Skubal

After receiving initial attention at the Lutheran Medical Center, Fry was transferred to the main campus of the Cleveland Clinic for further studies, where he remained under observation overnight. With his absence confirmed, Cleveland loses a key offensive piece, although the news that there will be no surgery represents a relief for both the team and Fry himself.