Vargas went 1-for-2 with two walks, a solo home run and two runs scored in Friday's loss to the Diamondbacks.
Vargas batted ninth but still provided an offensive spark in the 10-6 loss. The 30-year-old got the start at shortstop over Andrelton Simmons, though the latter seems likely to play more regularly moving forward as he works his way back from a shoulder injury. Vargas won't have a ton of fantasy value in a utility role off the bench.
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Cubs' Ildemaro Vargas: Likely to move into utility role
Rotowire
Vargas is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Pirates.
Vargas had started each of the Cubs' last three games at shortstop, going 2-for-9 with a triple, a walk, two RBI and a run during that stretch. He'll likely move into a utility role now that Andrelton Simmons (shoulder) -- who was activated from the 10-day injured list Sunday -- is ready to make his first start of the season Monday.
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Cubs' Ildemaro Vargas: Triples, drives in two Friday
Rotowire
Vargas went 1-for-3 with a triple, a run scored and two RBI in Friday's loss to the Diamondbacks.
Vargas isn't typically known for his offense and batted ninth in this one, but he was able to provide a useful fantasy line. The 30-year-old had his contract selected Tuesday with the Cubs putting Nick Madrigal (back) on the injured list, and Vargas will be a depth option while Chicago deals with some injuries.
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Cubs' Ildemaro Vargas: Contract selected
Rotowire
Vargas had his contract selected by the Cubs on Tuesday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
The 30-year-old missed out on Chicago's Opening Day roster but will now receive a big-league opportunity after Nick Madrigal (back) was placed on the injured list. Vargas should serve as infield depth while Madrigal is unavailable.
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Cubs' Ildemaro Vargas: Sent to minor-league camp
Rotowire
Vargas was reassigned to minor-league camp Monday.
Vargas slashed .323/.364/.548 with two homers, a double, six RBI and three runs this spring, but he was unable to land a utility role on the major-league roster to begin the year. If the Cubs' position players deal with injuries during the 2022 campaign, Vargas' defensive versatility makes him a prime candidate to be called up.
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Cubs' Ildemaro Vargas: Goes deep Tuesday
Rotowire
Vargas 2-for-3 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Mariners.
Vargas did not go deep in 34 games at the MLB level last season with three different teams, so the power is a bit of a surprise. With the Cubs adding Andrelton Simmons in the offseason, and Nick Madrigal (hamstring) also getting healthy and joining the mix in the middle infield, Vargas may get squeezed from the MLB roster. A strong spring could help his cause, or at least make him a more likely call-up candidate down the road if he plays well at the Triple-A level.
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Cubs' Ildemaro Vargas: Invited to camp
Rotowire
Vargas is attending big-league spring training as a non-roster invitee, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.
Vargas signed with the Cubs on a minor-league contract back in December after appearing in 15 games with the team over the past two seasons. Chicago added Andrelton Simmons on Friday to cover shortstop, and Nico Hoerner, Nick Madrigal, David Bote and Sergio Alcantara may all see time in the middle infield this year. Vargas provides some veteran organizational depth and offers little fantasy upside in 2022.
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Cubs' Ildemaro Vargas: Back with Cubs on minors deal
Rotowire
Vargas signed with the Cubs as a non-roster invitee Friday, Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com reports.
Vargas has appeared in 176 major-league games over the last five seasons, 15 of which came with the Cubs. He hasn't looked good at the plate, hitting just .233/.268/.355, though his 15.2 percent strikeout rate is at least mildly encouraging. He'll have to show a lot more to earn regular at-bats, however.
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Diamondbacks' Ildemaro Vargas: Outrighted to Triple-A
Rotowire
Vargas was outrighted to Triple-A Reno on Thursday.
Vargas spent time with the Diamondbacks, Cubs and Pirates during the 2021 campaign and hit .156 with four extra-base hits, seven runs, seven RBI and a stolen base in 34 appearances. The 30-year-old will lose his spot on the 40-man roster, and whether he remains in the organization next year remains to be seen.
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Diamondbacks' Ildemaro Vargas: Starts for ailing Ahmed
Rotowire
Vargas started at shortstop and went 2-for-4 with a double in Tuesday's 6-1 loss to Atlanta.
Vargas got the start at short in place of Nick Ahmed, who has missed the last four games with a sore right shoulder, a bit of news that Arizona manager Torey Lovullo revealed Tuesday. In Ahmed's absence, Josh Rojas started three games prior to Vargas' start.
The Diamondbacks selected Vargas from Triple-A Reno on Sunday.
Vargas hasn't appeared at the MLB level since June 18, at which point he had managed a .137/.200/.176 slash line in 55 plate appearances with the Cubs, Pirates and Diamondbacks. He figures to serve as additional infield depth for however long he's on the big-league roster.
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Diamondbacks' Ildemaro Vargas: Clears waivers
Rotowire
Vargas has been outrighted to Triple-A Reno after clearing waivers, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports.
Vargas has slashed a terrible .137/.200/.176 across 55 major-league plate appearances with the Diamondbacks, Cubs and Pirates this season. He didn't attract any interest on waivers after being DFA'd by Arizona on Saturday, so he'll continue to provide the club infield depth at Reno for the time being.
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Diamondbacks' Ildemaro Vargas: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Vargas was designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks on Saturday.
Vargas has already been designated for assignment three previous times this season. He cleared waivers the first time after getting dropped from the Cubs' 40-man roster in late March but was picked up by the Pirates after the Cubs DFA'd him again in mid-May. He lasted less than two weeks in Pittsburgh before being DFA'd yet again and traded to the Diamondbacks. It seems that teams like him enough to keep him around for a few weeks on the end of their bench, so it's possible he'll get claimed yet again this time around. The move clears a spot for the Diamondbacks to add the newly-signed Jake Faria.
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Diamondbacks' Ildemaro Vargas: Produces three RBI
Rotowire
Vargas went 2-for-4 with three RBI in Wednesday's 7-6 loss to the Mets.
The 29-year-old's first multi-hit effort of the season directly accounted for half of Arizona's runs. Vargas knocked in a pair on a single in the first inning and then added a game-tying RBI single in the sixth. He's slashing a meager .158/.220/.211 with no home runs, six RBI, three runs scored and a stolen base in 41 plate appearances between Arizona, Pittsburgh and Chicago this year. He'll likely fill a utility role now that he's begun his second stint with Arizona.
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Diamondbacks' Ildemaro Vargas: Returns to desert
Rotowire
The Diamondbacks acquired Vargas from the Pirates on Wednesday in exchange for cash considerations.
Vargas doesn't have any minor-league options remaining, so the Diamondbacks will clear room for him on the 40-man roster and 26-man active roster by designating infielder Domingo Leyba for assignment. Like Leyba before him, Vargas will likely be in store for a limited role as a utility option off the bench. The 29-year-old appeared in parts of his first four seasons in the big leagues with Arizona, but he's bounced around between three other organizations over the past two years.
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Pirates' Ildemaro Vargas: DFA'd by Pittsburgh
Rotowire
Vargas was designated for assignment by the Pirates on Saturday.
The 29-year-old was claimed off waivers by the Pirates nearly two weeks ago and went 1-for-13 in seven appearances. Vargas began the season with the Cubs and went 3-for-21 before being DFA'd. He could remain in the Pirates organization should he go unclaimed on waivers.
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Pirates' Ildemaro Vargas: Claimed by Pirates
Rotowire
Vargas was claimed off waivers by the Pirates on Monday.
Vargas was designated for assignment by the Cubs on Saturday, and he'll remain in the NL Central going forward. The 29-year-old served as a depth option for Chicago this year, and he should serve in a depth role for the Pirates after Troy Stokes was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
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Cubs' Ildemaro Vargas: Designated for assignment
Rotowire
Vargas was designated for assignment by the Cubs on Saturday.
Vargas had served as a depth option since early May but is no longer needed now that Ian Happ (ribs) is back from the injured list. Vargas didn't do much with his infrequent opportunities, posting a .488 OPS in 24 plate appearances.
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Cubs' Ildemaro Vargas: Picks up Sunday start
Rotowire
Vargas is starting at shortstop and batting eighth in Sunday's game against the Pirates.
Javier Baez left Saturday's game with back tightness, so the Cubs are giving him Sunday off and starting Vargas at shortstop. The latter has played in six games since getting recalled earlier in the week, and he's gone 1-for-9 so far with a stolen base and two runs scored. Vargas should head back to the bench whenever Baez is able to rejoin the lineup.
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Cubs' Ildemaro Vargas: Recalled, starting
Rotowire
Vargas was recalled by the Cubs and will bat eighth and play second base in the first half of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Dodgers.
Vargas spent three days in the big leagues in mid-April, going 0-for-2 in a pair of appearances off the bench. With a career .252/.280/.388 slash line, Vargas is unlikely to find himself in the lineup on a regular basis during his time with the team.
