When the Cleveland Guardians kicked off Spring Training in Goodyear, Arizona, three months ago, one of the biggest questions was, how would the middle infield shake out?
Brayan Rocchio and Gabriel Arias started the season up the middle with Travis Bazzana and Juan Brito lurking at Triple-A. (Oh, and don’t forget about Angel Genao.)
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Unfortunately, Arias suffered a hamstring injury at the beginning of April, which allowed Cleveland to get a quick look at Brito and eventually paved the way for the Guardians to call up Bazzana to take over at second base.
Now, that same question that was asked in February is popping up again in June, as Arias gets closer to being healthy and ready to rejoin the big-league team.
Arias started a rehab assignment at Triple-A on Wednesday. If all goes as planned, he’ll be ready to be activated off the injured list sometime in the next few weeks. The 26-year-old can’t stay in Columbus because he’s out of Minor League options, so the Guardians need to find a spot for him at the big league level, but where?
Cleveland Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias (13) reacts to his homer during the home opening game against the Chicago Cubs, April 4, 2026, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. Andrew Dolph / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Bazzana has the second base locked up for what appears to be the long-term future. Not only has he been one of Cleveland’s best hitters since his promotion, but Bazzana legitimately looks like one of the best second basemen in the American League.
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Shortstop is likely off the table for Arias, too. Rocchio has always been an elite defender, and he’s taken huge strides on offense through the first third of the season, too. The switch-hitter owns a .765 OPS, which is second-best on the Guardians, only behind Jose Ramirez.
If the Guardians want to keep Arias around, his days as an everyday player are likely behind him. Cleveland must decide whether or not his bat is worth keeping around, if it means he’ll be in more of a utility role. It would be similar to what he did during the 2023 season, when Arias played shortstop, second base, first base, and even a bit of outfield.
The other decision the Guardians need to make as Arias gets healthy is, whose spot does he take on the big-league roster? Someone is going to be the odd man out. Is Stuart Fairchild’s time with the Guardians coming to an end as quickly as it started?
The first part of all of this is Arias getting healthy. That said, Cleveland clearly has some tough decisions to make, contingent on his being ready to go within the next few weeks.
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