Ildemaro Vargas keeps forcing his way back into the picture in Arizona. The 34-year-old entered Wednesday with a 16-game hitting streak, a.361 batting average and a 1.004 OPS, giving the Diamondbacks one of the steadiest bats in their early 13-10 start.
He also brings more than one position to the lineup card. Vargas has played first base, third base, second base and left field for Arizona, and by FanGraphs he was the second most valuable Diamondbacks player by wins above replacement, behind Corbin Carroll.
That kind of production is hard to miss, especially for a player the club re-signed on a minor league contract before the season. Mike Hazen said on Wednesday that Arizona has been going back with Vargas since 2017, a long run marked by repeated returns, short stays and another chance this spring. The general manager joked that the organization has a “lifetime contract agreement” with him, even as he keeps getting taken off the roster and signed again.
Hazen said Vargas works hard, brings great energy and keeps the clubhouse in a good place. He added that the players love him, and that he has become one of those steady presences teams lean on even when he is not the biggest name in the room.
The numbers help explain why. Vargas had a 19-game hitting streak dating back to 2025, and entering Wednesday he was sixth in MLB in OPS among players with at least 60 plate appearances. He had a.380 batting average on balls in play, a 33% line drive rate and a.358 expected batting average, while his walk rate sat at 3%. He also hit.370 in 181 plate appearances for Cardenales de Lara in winter ball in Venezuela.
Vargas said playing every year in winter league in Venezuela has helped him a lot. He said that because he is not a player who is going to get 500 or 600 at-bats, going home to keep playing and stay physically ready has let him carry that work into the season. He pointed to a good spring training and the strong start that followed.
Geraldo Perdomo called Vargas the team’s best hitter right now, and Torey Lovullo said he has figured out the art of hitting, setting up pitchers and being patient. Lovullo said Vargas has always been a good player and that it just took him a little while to figure it out.
The fit matters because Arizona has been dealing with numerous injuries in the lineup, and several regulars, including Ketel Marte and Perdomo, started the year slowly. Vargas has given the Diamondbacks a productive option in multiple spots while the club tries to keep its early momentum alive. If he keeps hitting like this, the real question is not whether he can help fill a short-term gap. It is how long Arizona can keep pretending he is merely a depth piece.