Gabriel Arias had been in the Mets organization for barely a day when he got the call. The 26-year-old infielder arrived in Pittsburgh on Saturday, taking the roster spot vacated by Eric Wagaman, who headed back to Triple-A Syracuse. The Mets face the Pirates again on Saturday, though Arias was not in the starting lineup.
The Mets announced the moves Saturday afternoon from their official account, posting, âWe have made the following roster moves: INF Gabriel Arias has reported to the Major League team. INF Eric Wagaman has been optioned to Triple-A.â
This was the next step after New York claimed Arias from the Cleveland Guardians on Friday. He had exhausted his minor-league options, meaning the Mets could not simply stash him in Syracuse after the waiver claim. Somebody had to go.
Arias Gets Fresh Opportunity
GettyGabriel Arias, formerly of the Cleveland Guardians.
New York claimed Arias from Cleveland one day after the Guardians designated him for assignment. Cleveland had acquired the Venezuelan-born infielder from San Diego in the 2020 Mike Clevinger trade, then gave him parts of five seasons to establish himself in the majors.
By 2022, Arias was ranked the No. 3 prospect on the Guardians’ organization, and the No. 73 prospect in baseball overall, according to MLB Pipeline rankings.
But he has never fulfilled that promise. Arias owns a .219 career average with 30 home runs, 111 RBIs and 21 steals in 1,074 at-bats, according to his five-year Major League statistical record. But the Mets are not acquiring a finished product. They are taking a look at a player who is still only 26 years old, has experience at shortstop, third base, second base and first, and has three remaining seasons of club control after this one.
Arias hit .244 with five homers, 11 RBIs and four steals in 42 games for the Guardians this season before Cleveland DFA’d him. He missed more than two months with a left hamstring strain, then returned in June and appeared primarily at third base, with additional work at shortstop and second.
His defensive flexibility is the immediate part of the equation. Arias gives New York another right-handed infield option during a post-deadline stretch in which playing time is available and the club can evaluate players beyond the seasonâs final two months. The waiver claim costs the Mets nothing but a roster spot, and this move supplies one.
| NEW YORK METS STARTING LINEUP | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP: Robert Stock (RHP #89) • 0-1 • 1.80 ERA • 4 K | ||||||||
| August 8, 2026 • 6:40 PM EDT • PNC Park, Pittsburgh • Mets at Pirates | ||||||||
| # | Player | Pos | Bats | HR | RBI | SB | AVG | OPS |
| 1 | A.J. Ewing | LF | L | 7 | 28 | 15 | .269 | .743 |
| 2 | Francisco Lindor | SS | S | 10 | 29 | 3 | .232 | .738 |
| 3 | Bo Bichette | 3B | R | 11 | 56 | 1 | .256 | .669 |
| 4 | Jared Young | 1B | L | 7 | 22 | 3 | .253 | .761 |
| 5 | Luis Robert Jr. | CF | R | 4 | 12 | 2 | .203 | .605 |
| 6 | Brett Baty | RF | L | 7 | 34 | 5 | .220 | .619 |
| 7 | Marcus Semien | 2B | R | 14 | 40 | 8 | .215 | .641 |
| 8 | Jorge Polanco | DH | S | 2 | 5 | 0 | .139 | .430 |
| 9 | Francisco Alvarez | C | R | 12 | 28 | 0 | .251 | .769 |
| Lineups subject to change. Season stats shown; game stats 0-0 at time of publication. | ||||||||
Why Wagaman, and not Benge?
Wagamanâs option does not erase his place in the Metsâ depth picture. The 28-year-old Mission Viejo, Calif., native has spent much of 2026 moving between New York and Syracuse after the Mets claimed him from Minnesota in April.
Wagaman hit .190 in 42 at-bats for New York this year, with two home runs and four RBIs. His major-league career began with the Angels in 2024, continued with Miami in 2025 and has produced a .246 average, 13 homers and 67 RBIs over 590 at-bats. His position profile â first base first, with time at third base and the corner outfield â made him a useful roster fit. Arias offers middle-infield coverage.
Was this move a response to Carson Bengeâs wrist injury Friday night in Pittsburgh?
Benge left Fridayâs game with wrist soreness after crashing into the left-field wall on a sliding catch, but X-rays were encouraging and the Mets had not placed him on the injured list. More importantly, New York claimed Arias before Bengeâs exit, and Arias is an infielder rather than an outfield replacement. So, the answer is, probably not.
Bengeâs status could yet affect a later roster decision. Saturdayâs Arias-for-Wagaman transaction, though, was about activating the newly claimed infielder who had no remaining options.
| PITTSBURGH PIRATES STARTING LINEUP | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SP: Bubba Chandler (RHP #36) • 4-8 • 4.49 ERA • 98 K | ||||||||
| August 8, 2026 • 6:40 PM EDT • PNC Park, Pittsburgh • Mets at Pirates | ||||||||
| # | Player | Pos | Bats | HR | RBI | SB | AVG | OPS |
| 1 | Jake Mangum | CF | S | 3 | 25 | 20 | .295 | .720 |
| 2 | Brandon Lowe | 2B | L | 24 | 73 | 2 | .254 | .803 |
| 3 | Bryan Reynolds | DH | S | 15 | 63 | 7 | .267 | .819 |
| 4 | Spencer Horwitz | 1B | L | 10 | 37 | 1 | .271 | .809 |
| 5 | Nick Gonzales | 3B | R | 6 | 50 | 5 | .311 | .766 |
| 6 | Endy Rodríguez | C | S | 7 | 20 | 6 | .267 | .840 |
| 7 | Esmerlyn Valdez | LF | R | 14 | 38 | 0 | .245 | .954 |
| 8 | J. Gonzalez | SS | L | 5 | 25 | 1 | .237 | .681 |
| 9 | Ronny Simon | RF | S | 0 | 0 | 0 | .222 | .522 |
| Lineups subject to change. Season stats shown; game stats 0-0 at time of publication. | ||||||||
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