Cleveland Guardians Infielder Exits Game With Apparent Injury

A scary scene unfolded at Progressive Field on Sunday afternoon in the top of the third inning of the Cleveland Guardians' contest against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Cardinals batter Masyn Winn hit a ball in the hole heading to left field, and Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias slid to field the ball as it traveled away from him.

However, Arias popped up, grabbing at his ankle in clear pain. Cleveland's trainers immediately attended to him on the field, but Arias couldn't put any weight on his leg and ended up being carted off the field.

The cart is out for Gabriel Arias after this play. He's being attended to on the field. pic.twitter.com/ZnpjiYxE3M
— Tim Stebbins (@tim_stebbins) June 29, 2025

Daniel Schneemann entered the game at shortstop and took Arias' spot in the lineup.

Arias had a strong start to the season at the plate and has been one of the better power-hitters in Cleveland's lineup. He tallied two hits and a home run in Saturday's game and has a season slash line of .232/.294/.370.

However, Arias' biggest strength is his elite defense. He ranks in the 87th percentile with eight outs above average, and his arm strength ranks in the 92nd percentile.

Jun 29, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias (13) is looked at by medical personnel and manager Stephen Vogt (12) after suffering an injury trying to field a ground ball hit by St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn (not pictured) during the third inning at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

It's too early to speculate exactly what the injury is, but based on Arias' reaction, it appears to be something pretty serious.

This homestand has not gone the Guardians' way. Now, in the final game, before heading back on the road, Cleveland loses their everyday shortstop for what could be a lengthy absence and recovery moving forward.

Read More Cleveland Guardians Coverage