A promising season for Gabriel Arias took a brutal turn on Sunday afternoon. The Cleveland Guardians’ shortstop was carted off the field in the third inning against the St. Louis Cardinals after suffering a left ankle injury while attempting to make a difficult play. Arias appeared to catch his spike in the grass as he tried to field a ground ball hit by Masyn Winn deep in the shortstop hole, rolling his ankle awkwardly in the process.

Progressive Field went quiet as the 25-year-old immediately reached for his lower leg, clearly in significant pain. Cleveland’s training staff quickly rushed out to attend to him. Arias stayed down for several minutes, was fitted with an immobilizer, and was eventually helped onto a cart and driven off the field. The team later announced he had suffered a left ankle sprain and that X-rays came back negative. Arias will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of the damage.

The injury is a gut punch for a Guardians team that has already battled its share of adversity and now faces the potential loss of one of their most valuable infielders.

Guardians fans holding their breath after Gabriel Aries goes down with injury

Cleveland Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias (13) leaves the field after suffering an injury trying to field a ground ball hit by St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn.
© Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
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Arias, in his first full season as a starter, had taken over as the team’s everyday shortstop after Brayan Rocchio was sent to Triple-A in May. He entered Sunday’s contest slashing .231/.293/.369 with six home runs, 17 doubles, and 31 RBIs across 77 games — all career bests. Just one day prior, he went 2-for-4 with a homer and a pair of RBIs, highlighting the offensive surge that had helped solidify his spot in the lineup.

But it’s not just Arias’ bat that’s been important to Cleveland. His glove has been elite. He ranks in the 87th percentile in outs above average and boasts arm strength in the 92nd percentile, making him one of the most reliable defenders at shortstop in the league.

His defensive value was on display even during the unfortunate play. Arias' effort to make the stop was textbook hustle, but the awkward slide ended in what looked to be a potentially serious setback.

Daniel Schneemann entered the game at shortstop and finished things out in Arias’ place. While Schneemann has shown promise, the Guardians will miss the stability and two-way impact Arias brings — especially in a tightly contested AL Central.

With the Guardians set to head back on the road after the homestand, they’ll now do so without one of their brightest contributors. The hope is that Arias’ MRI brings good news, but Sunday’s scene painted a concerning picture for a club that can’t afford to lose more key pieces.