CLEVELAND -- Guardians shortstop Gabriel Arias exited Monday night’s 10-2 win over the Royals in the top of the sixth inning with right wrist inflammation.
Manager Stephen Vogt said pregame Tuesday that Arias underwent testing Monday night, and the team was awaiting those results to determine the next steps. Brayan Rocchio drew the start at shortstop on Tuesday.
“He was in a lot of pain swinging the bat,” Vogt said Tuesday.
Arias previously exited the Guardians’ 5-4 win over the Mariners on Aug. 29 after he was hit by a pitch on the right wrist. He missed Cleveland’s next four games before returning on Wednesday in Boston.
In the fourth inning Monday, Arias slid into home plate and braced himself with his hand while scoring on a C.J. Kayfus double. Arias batted twice in the fourth, and he appeared to be moving delicately after he struck out to end the fourth inning.
Arias whiffed on a four-seam fastball from Daniel Lynch IV up and out of the strike zone and walked slowly out of the batter’s box. It prompted Vogt to come out of the dugout to check on the 25-year-old, though the shortstop remained in the game for the top of the fifth.
Angel Martínez entered in Arias’ place in the top of the sixth, hitting seventh and playing center field, when Cleveland held a 9-0 lead.
Arias (who went 1-for-3 with a single and a run scored before exiting) is slashing .222/.280/.363 with 10 homers and 48 RBIs in 113 games this season. He has recorded 3 Outs Above Average at shortstop, tied for 13th in the Majors with San Francisco’s Willy Adames, Los Angeles’ Mookie Betts and Arizona’s Geraldo Perdomo.
Daniel Schneemann moved from center to second base on Monday, and Rocchio moved from second to shortstop. Along with Rocchio, Schneemann (11 games this season) offers depth at shortstop.