CLEVELAND -- A somber moment overtook Progressive Field in the third inning on Sunday, when shortstop Gabriel Arias was carted off the field during the Guardians’ game against the Cardinals due to a left ankle sprain.
Cleveland announced that Arias underwent X-rays, which came back negative. The 25-year-old will undergo an MRI on Monday, manager Stephen Vogt said after the Guardians’ 7-0 loss, as St. Louis completed the three-game sweep.
“Ankle sprain is what we're calling it right now,” Vogt said. “But we’ve got to get more information [Monday].”
With one out in the third, 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.
The Guardians’ training staff attended to Arias on the field for several minutes as his teammates and Vogt surrounded him. He soon exited on the cart with a splint on his leg. Daniel Schneemann took over at shortstop.
“You hurt for him,” Vogt said. “You don't want to see anybody get hurt. Gabby's been awesome for us. He's been playing an amazing shortstop. [You’re] just scared. When you see somebody in that much pain, you don't know what it could be. So hopefully we get some decent news [Monday]. You just feel for him.”
Arias is having the best season of his big league career. He was the Guardians’ Opening Day second baseman, and he took over as their everyday shortstop after Opening Day starter Brayan Rocchio was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on May 12. Arias 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.
Arias also entered Sunday tied for 10th among MLB shortstops in outs above average (three) this season.
If Arias has to miss extended time, the Guardians figure to recall Rocchio to play shortstop. In 41 games with Columbus since he was optioned, Rocchio has slashed .252/.353/.484 with 12 doubles, two triples, seven homers, 30 RBIs, 23 walks and 27 strikeouts.
In 35 games with the Guardians this season, Rocchio has slashed .165/.235/.198 with five walks and 21 strikeouts.
Along with Rocchio, the Guardians’ middle infield depth at Columbus includes Will Wilson and Juan Brito (Cleveland’s No. 10 prospect, per MLB Pipeline). Brito has played 44 games at short in the Minors, but he has almost exclusively played second base this season (18 starts), with some time at first (five) and in right (one).
Brito also just rejoined Columbus on Wednesday after recovering from right thumb surgery he underwent on April 25 for a high-grade ligament sprain. The immediate focus for him is building up his volume physically with the Clippers following the time he missed, and making sure his thumb and body responds to that build-up.
After Arias’ exit on Sunday, the Guardians dropped their fourth straight game, three of which have been shutouts, to fall to 40-42 this season. They finished June with a 9-16 record while averaging just 2.88 runs per game.
The lack of offense has been an added source of frustration considering how well the Guardians have pitched. Their starting rotation recorded a 3.61 ERA in 144 2/3 innings and 10 quality starts this month. That included Sunday, when Logan Allen allowed three runs on six hits over six innings. All the damage came on a three-run homer by Nolan Gorman in the first.
“We're going through a tough stretch,” Vogt said. “We went through tough stretches last year. We've been through good stretches, bad stretches already this year. So this is just part of the 162-game season. We've got 13 games in a row coming up after this off-day [Monday]. We have an opportunity to get it rolling, and that's the way I look at it.
“This is a really talented team. I believe in each and every one of these guys, and I know we're going to break out of it.”
Whether a turnaround can come simply from the flip of a calendar providing a fresh slate remains to be seen. But considering the struggles Cleveland has endured the past month, the change can’t hurt.
“The month of June has not been kind [to us],” Vogt said. “We've been saying it for a few days now. So it's gonna be a great off-day [Monday] in Chicago, and then be ready to go on Tuesday.”