Will Gabriel Arias be worth more or less than 1.7 fWAR in 2023?
Based on ZiPS projections, Gabriel Arias is expected to finish 2023 with the following stats:
112 G, 461 PA, 12 HR, 4 SB, 6.9% BB%, 23.9% K%, .239/.300/.377, 93 wRC+, 1.7 fWAR
Read what our writers think, then vote in the poll below and drop your own opinions in the comments and on the Covering the Corner Discord.
Blake Ruane’s prediction: UNDER
I’m not sure what this season holds in store for Gabriel Arias. He is 13-for-37 at the plate this spring with a .400 on-base percentage, but the reality is that he has effectively run into a wall as far as his immediate future with the big league club is concerned.
The Guardians are set at shortstop and second base with Amed Rosario and Andrés Giménez, respectively. Arias did start three postseason games at first base last year, but Cleveland has since signed Josh Bell and he will be sharing that position with Josh Naylor.
Arias may be ready to contribute, but there does not appear to be much opportunity to contribute at the moment. He is likely to start the season as the Guardians’ utility infielder, drawing a spot start here and there while serving as a pinch-hit candidate off the bench.
It’s also worth pointing out that Arias still needs to prove himself at the big-league level. In his first action in Cleveland last season, he slashed .191/.321/.319 in 57 plate appearances. It’s a limited sample size, but a limited sample size may be all Arias has to work with for now. We’ll see if he can make the most of it and force himself into the lineup on a more regular basis.