After he was designated for assignment on Tuesday, the New York 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 San Diego 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.