In 2024, Miguel Vargas was wondering if he’d ever enjoy playing baseball again.
After being traded to the Chicago White Sox at the 2024 deadline, Miguel Vargas hit just .089 (14-for-157) with a .387 OPS over the final two months of the season. As Chicago limped to a historically bad 41-win campaign, cameras caught him sulking in the dugout as the reality of going from a World Series contender to one of the biggest clown shows in baseball began to set in.
Two years later, a fresh set of teammates were congratulating Vargas after he was named an American League All-Star. For a player whose career seemed to be trending in the wrong direction, Saturday’s honor marked a remarkable turnaround.
Vargas became the seventh Cuban-born player to represent the White Sox in the All-Star Game, adding his name to a proud tradition of Cuban stars who have worn the uniform.
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His journey perfectly encapsulates the White Sox remarkable turnaround, making it only fitting that he’ll represent the club at the Midsummer Classic in Philadelphia. A player who looked broken and a franchise left for dead have emerged as one of baseball’s best comeback stories.
White Sox manager Will Venable gave injured reliever Mike Vasil the honor of breaking the news, as Vasil surprised Vargas in front of the entire clubhouse with the All-Star announcement in Cleveland.
Vargas admitted to CHSN’s Brooke Fletcher that he was in a dark place after the 2024 season and wasn’t sure he would ever rediscover his love for the game, let alone become an All-Star. He credited his White Sox teammates and the culture inside the clubhouse with restoring both his confidence and his joy for baseball. It’s been a two-way street, with Vargas also helping restore joy for White Sox fans watching baseball on the South Side.
Vargas was once regarded as one of the top prospects in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, but he struggled to carve out a consistent role on a roster loaded with established stars. When the White Sox acquired him at the 2024 trade deadline, they believed a change of scenery could unlock the middle-of-the-order bat scouts had long envisioned. Instead, his first two months on the South Side only fueled more questions.
The 26-year-old has answered nearly all of them. Simply put, Vargas has been the White Sox most valuable player. He has not only been one of the leaders of this team, but he has also emerged as one of the American League’s best third basemen.
Through his first 86 games, Vargas has already set a career high with 20 home runs while posting a 3.3 WAR and an .854 OPS. The underlying metrics are just as impressive. He ranks among the top 10 percent of all MLB hitters in expected slugging percentage, barrel rate, chase rate, and walk rate.
When you need a hit, Vargas has been the man for the job. With runners in scoring position, Vargas is batting .300 with a 1.057 OPS.
For the White Sox, it is another sign that their rebuild is beginning to bear fruit. A player who arrived at the trade deadline searching for confidence is now heading to the Midsummer Classic as one of the faces of the franchise.
Sometimes all a player needs is a fresh start. Vargas found his on the South Side.
