The Cleveland Guardians’ 25-year-old shortstop Gabriel Arias got his first chance to crack a big league team’s lineup as a regular infielder this season, since he was signed in 2016 out of Venezuela by the San Diego Padres for a $1.9 million bonus.
The versatile infielder known for his range and cannon throwing arm, who can also slide smoothly into the outfield, started 103 games at five different positions for Cleveland in 2022, frequently as a fill-in for players who were injured on on the COVID-list.
In 2025 he has served exclusively as a middle infielder, starting 53 games at short and another 28 at second base.
But on Sunday, in the third inning of a morning game against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals, Arias suffered what appeared to be a brutal injury to his left ankle, and had to be taken off the field by trainers in a cart.
“Arias attempted to make a sliding stop in the shortstop hole on a Masyn Winn ground ball. His left foot appeared to get caught on the outfield grass, and he came up in immediate pain, grabbing at his ankle,” reported MLB.com Guardians correspondent Tim Stebbins.
X-Rays Prove Negative
Trainers placed Arias’ left ankle in a splint to stabilize the joint before placing him in the cart to be taken to the locker room at Progressive Field in Cleveland.
Stebbins later reported that the injury was not at severe as it may have originally seemed.
“Left ankle sprain for Gabriel Arias. X-rays negative,” Stebbins wrote about an hour after the incident.
In the moments after the incident, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt told a reporter, “We don’t know anything yet. Obviously some pain the lower leg.”
Though “negative” X-rays would indicate that there was no break in the bones of the ankle, the Guardians had yet to give word on early Sunday afternoon regarding the severity of the sprain to Arias’ ankle.
Arias turned 16, the minimum age for signing international prospects, just a few months prior to finalizing his initial contract with the Padres. He appeared to be on a fast track through San Diego’s minor league system, earning a promotion to the Single-A Fort Wayne Tim Caps of the Midwest League.
Arias was four years younger than the average Midwest League player, but went on to appear in 16 games, recording 15 hits in 62 at-bats.
He then opted to play winter ball in the Australian League year, recording 29 hits including five home runs in 107 at-bats for the Canberra Cavalry.
Arias Traded From Padres to Cleveland
During the 2020 COVID season, Arias was assigned by the Padres to their pool of 60 players who were allowed to train for five weeks alongside Major Leaguers and other top prospects. But on August 31, San Diego shipped Arias to Cleveland as part of a blockbuster nine-player deal.
Arias was considered a secondary piece of the deal that sent starter Mike Clevinger to San Diego, with first baseman Josh Naylor and righty hurler Cal Quantrill heading to Cleveland, along with Arias and two other prospects.
“Arias is having the best season of his big league career,” wrote Stebbins in his report on the injury. “The 25-year-old is slashing .231/.293/.369 (all of which would be new career highs) in 77 games, and he’s recorded 17 doubles, six homers and 31 RBIs.”
Guardians Young Shortstop Carted Off With Brutal Injury in First Year as Regular