Player News
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The Diamondbacks signed Vargas to a minor-league contract Tuesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Aram Leighton of Just Baseball reports. Vargas was non-tendered by the Nationals last month after he slashed just .246/.295/.316 in 2024. The 33-year-old first reached the majors with the Diamondbacks in 2017 and has spent parts of five seasons in the big leagues with Arizona. Vargas has a shot to win a utility job with the Diamondbacks.
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Vargas elected free agency Monday, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports. Vargas played quite a bit for the Nationals the last couple years, but he slashed just .246/.295/.316 in 2024 and the club didn't want to pay him a raise in arbitration. The utility player will hit the free-agent market rather than accepting an outright assignment.
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Vargas will start at third base and bat eighth in Wednesday's game against Atlanta. Vargas has now picked up just two starts through the Nationals' first nine games of the month, with both coming against left-handed pitchers. He'll be filling in Wednesday for Luis Garcia, who will cede the keystone to Jose Tena while Vargas covers Tena's usual spot in the infield.
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Vargas is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels. After making five consecutive starts, Vargas now finds himself on the bench for the second day in a row, with both absences coming against right-handed pitching. Though the Nationals optioned Vargas' main competition for playing time at third base, Trey Lipscomb, to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday, the club called up Jose Tena in a corresponding move. Tena will get his second straight start at the hot corner Sunday and looks like he'll be given a look as an everyday player while Vargas shifts to a utility role.
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Vargas is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Angels, Spencer Nusbaum of The Washington Post reports. Vargas will begin Saturday's contest in the dugout after going 0-for-4 with one strikeout in Friday's 3-2 win over the Halos. Jose Tena will make his Nationals debut at third base while Nasim Nunez returns to the lineup at shortstop.
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Stats
Year | Team | G | AB | R | H | HR | RBI | BB | KO | SB | AVG |
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2024 | WAS | 97 | 272 | 21 | 67 | 1 | 30 | 19 | 31 | 9 | .246 |
2023 | WAS | 86 | 262 | 32 | 66 | 4 | 31 | 19 | 20 | 1 | .251 |