The Guardians are back in the same spot with Gabriel Arias: they like the bat, but the roster math keeps getting in the way.
Arias looked like he might be the odd man out when he was working back from an April hamstring injury in early June. Then Jose Ramirez went on the injured list, Arias was activated, and the whole thing temporarily solved itself. He slid in at third base while Ramirez was sidelined, and Cleveland moved on.
Now Ramirez is healthy again, and the old question has returned. Brayan Rocchio is at shortstop, Travis Bazzana is at second base, and Ramirez is set to reclaim third. That leaves the Guardians trying to figure out where Arias fits, if he fits at all.
Cleveland clearly still values him. His right-handed bat brings balance, and the power is real.
The issue is that the Guardians can’t just stash him in the minors, because the 26-year-old is out of options. That left the front office with a blunt choice when Ramirez came off the injured list: designate Arias for assignment or keep him on the roster.
They kept him.
And there’s a reason they didn’t want to let him go. Arias has more than 1,000 plate appearances under his belt, so the profile is familiar by now.
He’s going to swing and miss. He’s going to chase.
But when he connects, the ball can jump off his bat with serious force.
The recent production has been strong, too. Over his last 30 games, Arias is hitting .276/.315/.471 with five home runs.
Since the beginning of July, his 126 wRC+ ranks fourth on the team among players with at least 40 plate appearances. On a roster that has struggled to score, that kind of stretch matters.
The catch is that Cleveland still has to find him a place to stand. He isn’t locked into everyday work at second, shortstop, or third, and Daniel Schneemann has handled the backup infield role well enough defensively to make the picture even tighter.
There is at least one possible wrinkle. Arias has played as a utility man before, and he was even taking ground balls at first base, which could open another path to keeping his bat around. For now, though, the Guardians are right back where they started: trying to solve the Gabriel Arias conundrum.
In Other News...
This Guardians Trade Idea Feels Like Exactly What Cleveland Needs
With the trade deadline approaching, Cleveland has been linked to the kind of move that would add some real flexibility to a roster still looking for a little more punch. The front office has already signaled that it wants to improve the club, and the fact that the Guardians and Giants have dealt with each other earlier this season only adds another layer to the possibility of another match between two teams that know each other a bit better than most.
What makes this idea stand out is the blend of offense and versatility on the table. The player in question is in the middle of his best season yet, and he has given San Francisco a useful bat while covering multiple spots around the diamond, including second base, third base, shortstop, first base and left field. For a Cleveland team that could use more balance and more options, that sort of profile is exactly the kind of fit that tends to make sense right up until the moment a deadline deal either comes together or slips away. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Finally Have One Last Chance To Cash In On Bo Naylor
Bo Naylors path in Cleveland has narrowed in a hurry. The Guardians have cut back his role, brought Patrick Bailey into the picture, and made it harder to see where Naylor fits long term, even as he has kept working in Triple-A with a respectable offensive showing since the demotion.
That has made him a name worth watching as the trade deadline approaches, especially with several clubs already taking a look. Cleveland may have one last window to turn Naylor into value, and Cooper Ingles rising trade appeal only adds another layer to what could become a broader roster shuffle. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians May Have Found Another Internal Pitching Answer
The Guardians player-development machine keeps turning out arms, and the latest name to watch is a right-hander who has moved quickly from the lower levels into the upper minors. Cleveland has long leaned on its ability to grow pitching internally, and this season has only reinforced that reputation as another prospect has put himself on the radar with a strong run in the system.
After climbing from High-A to Double-A and then on to Triple-A Columbus in short order, the pitcher has paired that rise with steady production, including a 2.61 ERA in 15 starts. The bigger question now is how Cleveland chooses to use him next, since a move to the bullpen could give the club another option for the stretch run and potentially help ease pressure before the trade deadline. [Read more 🡒]