Arias dazzles in the field, at plate as he continues to prove he belongs

CLEVELAND -- Guardians second baseman Gabriel Arias ran straight out toward right field in the sixth inning of Friday’s series opener against the Royals, racing after a shallow pop fly off the bat of Michael Massey. Arias got to the spot, where he leaned back and reached back over his left shoulder to make a stellar catch.

Arias then turned and fired a strike to first baseman Carlos Santana, where he doubled off Kansas City’s Salvador Perez to complete a double play. That was one of several highlight-reel defensive plays Arias made Friday, while also going 3-for-4 with a three-run homer, in the Guardians’ 7-0 win over the Royals at Progressive Field.

“The most difficult part was actually catching the ball, because it was a weird spot where the ball was hit and the angle when it came over my head,” Arias said through interpreter Agustin Rivero. “... Once I caught it, I think everything went really quickly. Just ‘OK, try to throw the ball,’ and we were able to get the play done.”

Arias played in just 53 games in the Majors in 2024. He was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on July 11 and did not play for Cleveland the rest of the season. This year, he is earning an extended opportunity for the Guardians at second base while also moving around the infield, as needed.

Arias is now in his fourth big league season, and he’s still only 25 years old and has 203 games under his belt. He’s carrying a different mentality than he has in the past this season while embracing his opportunity at second.

“In the past years, I was putting some pressure on myself to make the best I could in every position here,” Arias said. “Somehow it's been a little more focused [this year], trying to earn the position and play well at the position. That has facilitated a lot of things for me, so I can just focus and go out there, do my best, have fun [and] enjoy the baseball that I know I can play.”

Arias has a .256/.318/.436 slash line over his first 12 games this season. With an extended run of playing time, he has demonstrated the impressive tools in his bag that have always given the club confidence he can be a two-way contributor. He has a strong arm, impressive range in the field and an ability to hit for power.

We saw each of those tools on Friday night. In the fourth inning, Arias stepped to the plate with runners on first and second and nobody out against Royals starter Kris Bubic. He jumped on a 91.8 mph four-seam fastball down and in, driving it out to right field. The blast traveled a Statcast-projected 394 feet over the wall for a three-run homer.

It was the second homer Arias hit this season; he also hit an opposite-field homer against the Royals on March 30. He finished Friday with three hits, which tied center fielder Angel Martínez for the team high in the series opener. Martínez went 3-for-3 in his first big league game of the season.

It also matched the number of strong plays Arias made defensively. In the top of the fourth inning, he snared a Michael Massey line drive (which had a 105.1 mph exit velocity) by ranging to his left and falling to the ground to haul it in.

In the seventh inning, Arias ranged to the shortstop side of the second-base bag to gather a chopper off the bat of Freddy Fermin, and threw across his body to retire Fermin at first. Arias covered 145 feet on the play.

“The first [13] games of the season we've played, [Arias has] been putting it together really well,” said starter Tanner Bibee, who allowed three hits and four walks in 4 2/3 scoreless innings. “He's looked really good."

Manager Stephen Vogt called the double play Arias turned in the sixth “a big league play” and was all-around impressed by the second baseman’s night.

“To see him earning everyday at-bats and being able to impact us both defensively and offensively [has been impressive],” Vogt said. “His plan is what's really been the most impressive. He is staying within himself at the plate. He knows his strengths, and he's using them in this early part of the year. It’s been really fun to watch Gabby.”