3 Guardians players who could be thrust into bigger roles due to injuries 

We’ve reached the time in the baseball calendar where teams are beginning to lay their plans for the upcoming season. Pitching schedules are being set, rosters are being trimmed and position battles are being settled. 

But one thing that always impacts how things are at this time in the calendar is injuries. And while the Guardians haven’t had any players suffer huge injuries this year, they still have some injuries that could cause ripple effects throughout the entire roster. 

Here are three players who could become even more important thanks to the injuries on the Guardians’ roster. 

The Guardians may need some unheralded players to step up early in the season due to injuries 

SS Gabriel Arias 

While Arias was always set to be an important player for the Guardians this season, he became even more important this week thanks to injuries to Daniel Schneemann and José Ramírez.

While neither of them are expected to be around for a long period of time, Arias’ skillset makes him the obvious replacement for both. 

Ramírez’s injury is obviously the bigger of the two considering he’s one of the best players in baseball. And not only that, he’s also the Guardians’ only third base option. 

Arias was set to open the season as the Guardians’ starting shortstop, but he’ll likely need to see more time at third base to give Ramírez some time off his feet. 

But if Ramírez is able to go, then Arias will still see some time as a utility role thanks to Schneemann sustaining an ankle injury during infield drills last Friday. 

Although the injury shouldn’t keep Schneemann out for long, he hasn’t appeared in a spring training game since. 

Scheenmann’s injury could put him in the same boat as Ramírez in that he may be limited even if he doesn’t hit the injured list, which could impact his ability to move all around the diamond.

That’s where Arias could come in. 

Even if Arias has some aggravating flaws in his game, his defensive versatility has always made him an important player on the Guardians' roster. He may be even more important this season. 

OF Petey Halpin 

The injury bug hit George Valera last week when he suffered a “mild” calf strain, but he’s resumed hitting and throwing but not running. 

While that’s good news, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Guardians take their time with Valera given how much injuries have impacted the start of his career. 

And, if Valera is forced to miss any additional time, Halpin could end up becoming even more important to the Guardians plans. 

Halpin went 2-for-6 in six games for the Guardians last season while also appearing in two games as a defensive replacement. 

He’s shown a surprising amount of pop this spring and can play all three outfield positions, which made it seem like he had the inside track to be the Guardians’ fourth outfielder.

But he may end up becoming a mainstay in the outfield picture for the time being if Valera needs to miss time. 

RHP Peyton Pallette 

Pallette got a late start to the spring due to a shoulder injury, but he’s bounced back in a big way. 

He’s now appeared in five games this season, where he’s thrown six scoreless innings with three hits, three walks and 11 strikeouts. 

Pallette always had a leg up on the rest of the competition in the bullpen thanks to him being a Rule 5 Draft pick, but he could be even more important thanks to Hunter Gaddis’ forearm injury. 

Gaddis’ injury popped up after his lone outing this spring and it doesn’t seem to be too serious since he’s already thrown multiple bullpens, but the Guardians would be wise to take their time with his rehab since he’s made 151 appearances over the past two seasons. 

While Pallette wouldn’t slide into Gaddis’ set up role, there’s more of a chance he’d be thrown into the fire early in the season since the bullpen would be down one established star.