The Cleveland Guardians are limping to the finish line of the 2023 season both figuratively and literally as there's now less than a week in the season left. Gabriel Arias is the latest player to come down with an injury and was forced to leave the game in the fourth inning against the Reds on Tuesday night.
The team announced that he left the game with "right wrist sourness" which adds up to what we saw from him in his early plate appearances. Arias had trouble holding onto the bat and let it fly into his own dugout on two occasions. This could all go back to how tight his wrist was allowing him to grip the bat.
Arias is a key piece to Cleveland's 2024 season and beyond. He took over as the primary shortstop following Amed Rosario's departure to Los Angeles at the trade deadline. There's a ton of raw talent and power with Arias but the Guardians are still waiting for that on a regular basis.
The second-year shortstop is hitting .278 with an OPS of .798 against right-handed pitchers this season but that drops to a .083 average against southpaws. This is the biggest thing Arias needs to overcome if he hopes to be an everyday player.
Arias' true talent is his tremendous defense he can play any position in the field. This is something that Terry Francona has commented on on multiple occasions. He currently ranks in the 88th percentile of outs about average and the 91st percentile in arm strength, per Baseball Savant.
Having an injury be how Arias' season comes to an end would be disappointing for a player showing so much promise.
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