After he was designated for assignment on Tuesday, the Mets claimed infielder Gabriel Arias off of waivers. Arias, in his age 26 season, has played part of five seasons for Cleveland, logging time at all four infield positions.
Signed by the Padres as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2016, Arias was part of the trade between Cleveland and San Diego that sent Mike Clevinger to the Padres in 2020. Arias made his big league debut in 2022, appearing in 57 games. Arias played more than 100 games in both 2023 and 2025, and is a career .219/.275/.359 hitter.
Defensively, Arias has an above average arm, and has logged 187 games at shortstop, and has played every non-catching or pitcher position on the diamond. He’s out of minor league options and will be eligible for arbitration next season.
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In 2026, Arias missed eight weeks with a left hamstring injury. In total on the season, he’s batting .244/.284/.386 with five home runs and four stolen bases.
Arias is a useful player to have on your roster due to his versatility. If he’s assigned to the major league roster, he would likely take the spot currently claimed by Cristian Pache.
