After all the smoke settled on the 2022 trade deadline news, the Dodgers made a huge announcement by selecting the contract of righty-hitting blue-chip prospect Miguel Vargas from Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Prior to being recalled, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound Vargas slashed .291/.382/.497 with 15 homers, 24 doubles, four triples, 72 RBI and 12 stolen bases this season.
Vargas moved quite a bit around the diamond for OKC this year, having played 69 games at third base, 12 games in left field, seven games at second base and three games at first base.
Among his most recent accolades are an appearance in the 2022 MLB Futures Game. He was named as the Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year in 2021.
In January, we put together a post discussing just how close Vargas was to his debut, guessing that 2023 would be an accurate arrival time.
Last year, Vargas made it as high as Double-A ball and registered quite an impressive season, slashing .319/.380/.526 with 27 doubles, 23 homers and 76 RBI across two levels. What’s even more impressive is that he swiped 11 bases, suggesting he might be a legit base-stealing threat in the majors.
At first glance, it appears Vargas will take Jake Lamb’s roster spot, who was traded away to Seattle earlier in the day.
Yay!! Hopefully he gets some at bats…
This is the perfect time to bring up Vargas. Turner needs to go to the IL. It should have happened 10 games ago so his roster spot could have been filled. If Turner returns healthy, Vargas will have had a taste of ML action and will have shown what he can do against ML pitching.
From now on, I hope C Taylor can be used for the job he was signed to do – super sub. He has been too exposed when he has to play fulltime.
Unlike most, I’m sort of excited to see Gallo play. His recent metrics say he is an outstanding defender and baserunner. He is a free agent at the end of the season. The Dodgers don’t have much time to fix him, if they can, and judge him.
I’d love to see both Vargas and Outman get some extended playing time over the next few weeks. It’s possible that one or both of them could be viable roster additions for the playoffs, especially if Bellinger and Muncy don’t improve before the end of the season.
Giving those two some reps might also help the front office decide on whether to offer Belli a contract for 2023 and/or to pick up Max’s 2023 option.
Why not play Outman tonight? Because they want to let him cool down? Or maybe Bellinger gives them a better chance of winning. Let the kid play for goodness sake. He’s earned it over the last few games.
Nothing worse than seeing a player have a few great games, then get sat on the bench, heck he’s 23 years old he doesn’t need a rest.
Typical Roberts move. Absolutely clueless
Somebody just told me that Bellinger’s girlfriend and her crew made the trip up to SF tonight, so he really wants to be in the game.
If his girlfriend is there will he try to make contact or swing from his heels? LOL
He is 25, but point well taken. But, I’m being realistic too. I’m thrilled that he has done so great for his first two games, but he was hitting.225 at AAA with a high K rate. He definitely looks like a player and great athlete, so likely has a good chance to come back in September if sent down later this month.
I’m happy to see Vargas promoted, but also wondering what the bench will look like when JT, Gallo, CT3 and Rios. Not enough spots. Well, I hope Vargas does well for the limited time he is likely to be on the roster. Even more notably was hearing that Vin Scully passed, while I was watching last nights game. He started broadcasting Dodger games the year I was born, Listened to him broadcast thousands of times. He was just the best! RIP Vin.
A legend! RIP