It is one of the unfortunate notions of baseball that when a player starts to break out of a slump, he winds up getting injured. That has turned out to be the case for Cleveland Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias in the early stages of the 2026 season.
After getting just one hit in his first 16 at-bats, Arias was starting to turn it around by going 5-for-14 in his past five games. That hot stretch included solo home runs in consecutive games against the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs.
However, a double in the fifth inning against the Kansas City Royals on Monday led to some bad news. Arias injured his hamstring and had to leave the game.
As a result, the Guardians have announced a roster move with Arias, putting him on the 10-day injured list.
“INF Gabriel Arias. Placed on the 10-day injured list,” Guards Insider posted on X.
We’ve made a move.#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/UO4ioh0whE
— GuardsInsider (@GuardsInsider) April 7, 2026
The Guardians called up Juan Brito to take Arias’ place on the roster. The rookie will make his MLB debut on Tuesday, batting sixth and playing second base against the Royals.
Despite his season-opening slump, Arias had started 10 of Cleveland’s first 11 games at shortstop, with Brayan Rocchio starting 10 at second base. Now, Rocchio will likely become the everyday shortstop, with Brito and utilityman Daniel Schneemann possibly splitting time at second base until Arias can return.
It is unknown if the weather the Guardians faced on Monday had any effect on Arias’ injury. The team has dealt with unfavorable conditions during its first homestand, with a rainout, a wind-chilled doubleheader, and a rescheduled game all taking place in the past week.
Arias has never batted higher than .222 in any of his five major league seasons, and he goes to the injured list with a .200 average this season. With the Guardians looking for an offensive boost, his job may have been in jeopardy as early as spring training, but no one, including Brito and top prospect Travis Bazzana, was able to do enough to seize it.
It is unusual for a player to lose his job because of an injury, but if Brito can produce at the plate, the Guardians may have a difficult decision to make once Arias can play again.
NEXT: Details Emerge About Juan Brito's MLB Debut
