Player News

• Ildemaro Vargas: Becomes free agent

  16H ago • By RotoWire

  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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• Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Fills in for resting Garcia

  09/11/2024 • By RotoWire

  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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• Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Sitting in second straight

  08/11/2024 • By RotoWire

  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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• Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Absent from lineup

  08/10/2024 • By RotoWire

  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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• Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Gaining playing time in infield

  08/07/2024 • By RotoWire

  Vargas will start at second base and bat fifth in Wednesday's game against the Giants. Though he'll be filling in for a resting Luis Garcia on Wednesday, the switch-hitting Vargas may be in store for at least semi-regular playing time at third base against right-handed pitching in place of Trey Lipscomb, who has produced a .393 OPS since rejoining the big club in early July. Vargas had started over Lipscomb in both of the first two contests of the series, but the Nationals will have room for both players in the infield Wednesday while Garcia rests.

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