Could Gabriel Arias's time with the Cleveland Guardians be nearing an end?

Of the position battles set to take place during spring training, the starting second base position is the one that is going to garner the most attention for the Cleveland Guardians. The offseason trade of Andres Gimenez to the Toronto Blue Jays set this series of events in motion, with the Guardians now having to find his replacement. Gabriel Arias and Juan Brito have been identified as the top two options, but it is Arias and not Brito who is under a significantly larger amount of pressure to perform. In fact, if Arias does not win the job in Arizona, it could very well be the end of his time with the Guardians.

It has not been easy for Arias in the majors, slashing just .212/.274/.350 in parts of three seasons with the Guardians. Strikeouts have proven to be an issue for Arias, as he strikes out 32.3% of the time when facing major league pitching. There are some circumstances when it is somewhat acceptable to strike out this frequently, but not when it comes to someone with 25 doubles and 14 home runs in 563 plate appearances.

The possibility of Arias being on the chopping block should not be news to anyone. As noted by MLB.com's Mandy Bell in a list of players with something to prove this spring, the almost 25-year-old has not exactly impressed in his brief time as a major leaguer. "Arias has appeared in 191 games in the big leagues and looked overwhelmed offensively while also having his work ethic come into question at times." writes Bell in a brutally honest evaluation of Arias's time in Cleveland. This is not exactly a ringing endorsement here by any means, but with a track record like his, no one should expect one.

There should be a sense of urgency on Arias's part, as he is out of minor league options. Arias will have to keep Arias on their major league roster, or else they could lose him to the waiver process. Besides the possibility of Brito greatly outperforming Arias and there being no apparent competition, there is a very real chance that Cleveland could have Arias win the starting second base job regardless of Brito's performance. This would give the Guardians a chance to further assess Arias while having a replacement option readily available in Brito if they so please. The way things would play out in this scenario is Arias playing himself off of the roster and being replaced when it becomes clear that he will not provide what the Guardians need from him.

The fact of the matter is that Arias holds his fate in his own two hands (literally). While some believe that Arias's recent performances in Triple-A and the Venezuelan Winter League are an indicator of him being a productive player, it will be how he plays in Arizona and early on in the regular season (assuming he makes the major league roster) that will dictate how things play out. The odds are not in his favor, and it would not be entirely surprising to see Brito take over for Arias sooner rather than later.