The Cleveland Guardians are calling up one of their more promising hitting prospects while placing Gabriel Arias on the injured list.
The Cleveland Guardians are facing their first major injury of the 2026 season, as one of the hottest hitters on the team, Gabriel Arias, heads to the injured list for what could be an extended stint.
On the other hand, Cleveland is calling up one of their more promising prospects, Juan Brito, to take his spot on the roster.
Here’s a recap of the roster moves the Guardians made ahead of Tuesday afternoon’s game against the Kansas City Royals.
Gabriel Arias Placed On Injured List
Gabriel Arias continued his hot stretch on Monday night, taking a ball the other way and stopping at second base. However, concern immediately settled in as Arias reached for his leg as Cleveland’s head trainer and Stephen Vogt jogged onto the field to check on him.
Arias gingerly limped off the field and left the game with what the team called “right hamstring tightness.” Cleveland’s skipper said after the game that the shortstop would get an MRI, but was pretty sore.
The Guardians confirmed everyone’s fears on Tuesday morning, as they placed Arias on the injured list with a hamstring strain.
Arias was just starting to find his rhythm early on in the season, with three extra-base hits on the season, and not facing a road to recovery.
Cleveland Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias (13) cracks a smile during the home opening game against the Chicago Cubs, April 4, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio.Juan Brito Promoted for MLB Debut
Taking Arias’ spot on the roster will be Cleveland’s No. 16-ranked prospect, Juan Brito, who was called up from Columbus on Tuesday morning.
He will make his first big-league start on Tuesday against the Kansas City Royals. Brito will play second base and hit seventh in Cleveland’s lineup.
Calling up Brito made the most sense for a couple of reasons.
One, his natural position is second base, which slides Brayan Rocchio over to his primary position of shortstop. The Guardians don’t need to move any other players around on the diamond to make the fit work.
Second, the Guardians need to get a good look at Brito, whom they’ve been so high on since acquiring him from the Colorado Rockies for Nolan Jones after the 2022 season. The switch-hitter owns a Minor League career OPS of .832. So far, through nine games at Triple-A in 2026, Brito is hitting .314/.405/.457.
Brito certainly has a chance to make a name for himself over the next couple of weeks and prove to the Guardians he deserves to be in their long-term plans.
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