The Cubs wasted little time adding infield help after Dansby Swanson went down, claiming Gabriel Arias off waivers from the New York Mets and giving Craig Counsell another option around the diamond.
Arias, 26, has already logged time this season with both the Guardians and Mets. The bat has lagged behind - he hit .235/.273/.371 - but his glove has carried real value. He has played first, second, short and third, with some previous outfield experience mixed in as well.
To make room on the 40-man roster, Chicago transferred Phil Maton to the 60-day injured list.
The move also fits the way the Cubs have been built to win right now. With Swanson unavailable, the priority is keeping the defense strong behind a pitching staff that has thrived in large part because of what’s happening in the field. Arias gives them a more dependable defensive presence than Owen Miller, who had recently been called up from Triple-A and is a likely candidate to be optioned once Arias joins the club, since Arias is out of options.
The Cubs are also set to get another piece back soon. Matt Shaw started his rehab assignment with Iowa on Wednesday after being out since late June with a sprained left hand/wrist, and his return could come sooner rather than later.
In the meantime, Nico Hoerner is expected to handle shortstop more often, with Pedro Ramirez at second. Hoerner has been scorching since the All-Star break, leading all NL players with a .367 average, and his defensive reputation has already been established at both short and second.
With Arias added and Shaw on the way back, Chicago has given itself some cover while one of its most important players is sidelined.
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