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
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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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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Sitting in second straight
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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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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Absent from lineup
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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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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Gaining playing time in infield
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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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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Back in bench role
Rotowire
Vargas is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals.
Vargas picked up five straight starts in the infield between last Sunday and Thursday, but he benefited largely from Washington facing three left-handed pitchers over that stretch. He'll now hit the bench for the third game in a row, with a right-hander taking the hill for the opposition in each of those contests.
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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Nabs fifth steal
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Vargas went 2-for-4 with a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base in Sunday's win over the Guardians.
Getting another start at shortstop in place of CJ Abrams (shoulder) and batting ninth, Vargas swiped his fifth bag of the season in a productive afternoon. Abrams could be back in the lineup as soon as Monday against the Mets, bumping Vargas back to the bench, but the veteran utility player has been effective when called upon this season, slashing .288/.368/.385 through 120 plate appearances.
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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Swipes fourth bag
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Vargas went 1-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base in Wednesday's win over Atlanta.
The 32-year-old utility player began the game on the bench but took over at third base when Nick Senzel fouled a ball off his knee in the second inning. Vargas has posted career-best numbers to begin this season, slashing .298/.383/.404 through 109 plate appearances with four steals, seven RBI and 11 runs. If Senzel misses any time, Vargas would be the next man up at the hot corner.
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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Tough night on basepaths
Rotowire
Vargas went 2-for-3 with an RBI but was caught stealing twice in Friday's loss to the Astros.
Starting at third base and batting ninth, Vargas had another good showing at the plate, but it was his misadventures on the basepaths that stood out in a 5-3 loss. He was picked off at second base by Justin Verlander and caught in a rundown in the third inning, then was thrown out trying to steal second base in the eighth. Vargas is batting .323 (10-for-31) with a 5:3 BB:K through 11 games and has been seeing semi-regular playing time around the infield, but Friday's performance won't endear him to manager Dave Martinez.
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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: On base four times Monday
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Vargas went 1-for-2 with three walks, a double, a run scored and two RBI in Monday's win over the Giants.
Getting the start at shortstop with CJ Abrams (finger) sidelined, Vargas continued a hot start to the season that has seen him go 7-for-20 (.350) with three doubles, three RBI, three runs, a stolen base and an impressive 5:2 BB:K. The 32-year-old utility player has already seen action at four different positions this season -- four games at second base, three at shortstop, and one each at third base and left field -- and even once Abrams returns to the lineup, Vargas might see more playing time than expected as long as he's contributing at the plate.
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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Swipes bag Wednesday
Rotowire
Vargas went 1-for-2 with a double, an RBI and a stolen base in Wednesday's win over the Pirates.
The utility player pinch ran for Victor Robles (hamstring) in the second inning and stayed in the game to play left field, picking up his first RBI, first extra-base hit and first steal of 2024. Vargas has appeared in three games so far and done so at three different positions, also seeing action at second base and third base. His most consistent path to playing time will come as Luis Garcia's platoon partner at the keystone, but after he saw a career-high 286 plate appearances in 2023, Vargas might be headed for an even bigger role this season while bouncing all over the diamond. Whether the 32-year-old does anything with the opportunity is another question, though -- he has a career .248/.289/.368 slash line in the majors.
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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Should open season in utility role
Rotowire
Vargas appears set as the Nationals' primary utility infielder to begin the season.
A big spring from prospect Trey Lipscomb created some drama toward the end of camp as to who would claim the final roster spots, but Vargas' job seems secure after Lipscomb was reassigned to minor-league camp Tuesday. With Luis Garcia and Nick Senzel both question marks at second base and third base, Vargas could see more playing time than expected in the early going, but he offers little fantasy upside after slashing .252/.304/.363 over 286 plate appearances for the Nats in 2023.
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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Sitting again Saturday
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Vargas isn't in the Nationals' lineup Saturday against Atlanta, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Vargas will remain on the bench for the second straight game Saturday after going hitless in his last two contests. Carter Kieboom will once again start at third base and bat seventh.
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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Out of Friday's lineup
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Vargas isn't in the Nationals' lineup Friday against Atlanta.
After putting together a four-game hitting streak last week, Vargas has since gone 0-for-6 with three strikeouts over his last two games. He'll hit the bench Friday with Carter Kieboom starting at third base and batting sixth.
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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Avoids arbitration with Nationals
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Vargas and the Nationals avoided arbitration Wednesday by agreeing to a one-year contract for 2024.
Vargas is making $975,000 this season and should get a little salary bump for 2024. The 32-year-old utility player has a career-high 280 plate appearances with the Nats in 2023, producing a .245/.299/.354 batting line with four home runs. Vargas does not have options left, so he figures to head into next season in a reserve role for the Nationals.
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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Not starting Game 1
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Vargas is out of the lineup for Game 1 of Sunday's doubleheader versus Atlanta, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Vargas has an .821 OPS through 14 games in September and will take a seat for Sunday's matinee. Carter Kieboom is starting at the hot corner and batting seventh.
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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Resting Thursday
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Vargas isn't in the Nationals' lineup Thursday against Atlanta, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Although the switch-hitting Vargas holds a .773 OPS against left-handed pitchers this season, he'll get a day off against Max Fried on Thursday. Carter Kieboom will start at third base instead while batting fifth.
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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: On bench Monday
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Vargas is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the White Sox, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
The Nationals have been running a three-headed timeshare at third base of late, with Vargas, Carter Kieboom and Jake Alu having now made two starts apiece at the position over the past six games. Alu seems to have the most stable playing-time outlook of the three, as he'll now make his third straight start in left field in place of the slumping Travis Blankenhorn. The lack of consistent at-bats for either Vargas or Kieboom makes both players tough to rely upon, even in NL-only leagues.
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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Sitting third straight
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Vargas isn't in the Nationals' lineup Saturday against the Marlins, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Vargas has now missed three consecutive starts for the Nationals after starting nearly every game in August. Jake Alu will start again at second base and Travis Blankenhorn will man left field.
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Nationals' Ildemaro Vargas: Takes seat Thursday
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Vargas isn't in the Nationals' lineup Thursday against Miami, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Although Vargas is slashing .268/.294/.476 against left-handed pitchers this season, he'll retreat to the bench against Braxton Garrett and the Marlins on Thursday. Michael Chavis will fill in at the keystone and bat seventh.
