Guardians News: Updates on Lane Thomas, Gabriel Arias and Travis Bazzana

While the Guardians’ roster has been rounding into form as they try to steal the American League’s final Wild Card spot, there are still plenty of updates about some of the injured players on the roster. 

On Friday, the Guardians announced crucial updates on injured players Lane Thomas, Gabriel Arias and top prospect Travis Bazzana, who is currently playing in Triple-A Columbus. 

While Arias’ update is a good sign (he’s back in the Guardians’ lineup), things are a little bit more ominous with Thomas and Bazzana.

Lane Thomas unlikely to return to the Guardians this season

Thomas confirmed the Guardians’ beat on Friday that he’s set to visit a foot specialist in Indianapolis later next week, and that having surgery is on the table. Thomas has been on the shelf since the beginning of July due to plantar fasciitis; it’s the second time he hit the injured list thanks to the injury this year. 

Even if Thomas doesn’t undergo surgery, this update likely means that he won’t return by the end of the regular season since there’s only a little less than two weeks left in the season. 

Although there’s always the chance that Thomas could return if the Guardians somehow make a deep postseason run, the Guardians would only get that far in the postseason if they got production from some unheralded players on the roster; it’s hard to believe the Guardians would take those hypothetical at-bats away from those players in favor of Thomas. 

The one positive of the update is that Thomas said that he’d be interested in returning to the Guardians, per The Athletic’s Zack Meisel.

Thomas is having a disaster of a walk year and seems destined to get a one-year prove it deal from some team. It looks like there’s a chance that team could be the Guardians. 

Another tough injury update came in the minors, as Bazzana left the Clippers’ game last night due to oblique soreness. 

Bazzana, who missed two months earlier this season due to an oblique injury, has been on a tear lately after getting off to a slow start at Triple-A. Cleveland.com’s Joe Noga reported earlier this week that Bazzana is set to return to Australia in the offseason to condition ahead of the 2026 season. 

Lastly, Gabriel Arias is back in the Guardians lineup after missing three straight games due to a wrist injury that was re-aggravated when he was hit by a pitch on Monday.

Stephen Vogt said earlier this week that Arias is going to be playing through pain the rest of the season, but getting him back in the lineup is a great sign. 

He had recorded a hit in four straight games prior to being hit on Monday and has been playing stellar defense at shortstop. Brayan Rocchio has shifted back to second base now that Arias is back.