“Please don’t use the guy as a meme”; “Stop showing him enough already” - MLB fans support Miguel Vargas as White Sox lose series against Tigers
For Miguel Vargas, the 2024 MLB trade deadline is likely a date he will never forget. Unlike most players dealt on the fateful date, Vargas found himself going from one of the league's top teams to a club with one of the worst records in modern history.
On July 29, the 24-year-old Cuban was part of a three-time deal that ultimately led him to the Chicago White Sox from the LA Dodgers. Having departed a team that boasted some superlative talent, Vargas arrived in Chicago amidst what would become a 21-game losing streak.
On Sunday, the White Sox lost 9-4 to the Detroit Tigers, marking the first time in the club's history that they have reached 100 losses in a season. After the loss, NBC Sports Chicago's feed focused in on Miguel Vargas, who sat in the White Sox dugout, looking as though he had seen better days.
"Miguel Vargas hates being in Chicago" - Baseball Quotes
Although some online reactions sought to mock the sequence, a large percentage of them displayed sympathy towards the utility infielder:
"Please don’t use the guy as a meme. This is his career. We don’t know what he’s going through." A fan said.
"Stop showing him enough already," a fan mirrored the sentiment.
"Tough. We all have moments where things just didn't lineup they way we thought and we feel pretty down. Taking the long process to realign that the journey is not a straight lineup but a series of ups and downs. The dips can be bad, but you can rise up." Another fan commented.
In thirty games for LA before his trade, Vargas was hitting .239/.313/.423 with three homers and nine RBIs - numbers that put him on pace for the best year of his young career. However, since making his debut for the Chicago White Sox, Vargas has hit just .097 with one home run and three RBIs in 18 games.
"Good news for him.. hitting 5/58 he might find Charlotte more appealing." Joked a fan.
"I feel so bad for him," lamented another.
"Yeah that's rough," contributed another.
Having already been eliminated from playoff contention, the White Sox suffered yet another series sweep at the hands of the Detroit Tigers over the weekend. As Miguel Vargas will not become eligible for arbitration until 2027, there is no telling how long he will have to remain with his ailing club.
Some fans also showed that they had little sympathy for Vargas' apparent brooding:
"Sucks, but he couldn’t hit with the dodgers. He can only blame himself," wrote a fan.
"Lucky he's still in the bigs," came another slight.
New White Sox skipper continues to see potential in Miguel Vargas
Since arriving in Chicago, Vargas has logged just six hits in 62 plate appearances. With calls for the Cuban to be returned to the minor leagues intensifying, newly minted White Sox manager Grady Sizemore defended Miguel Vargas following Sunday's loss, telling the Chicago Tribune:
“I think he’s actually been giving us good at-bats. He’s not chasing a lot; he puts the ball in play. Sometimes it just takes a game or two to get your timing down and maybe just get some hits to take some of the pressure off.”
Unfortunately for fans in the Windy City, even if Vargas has a stellar finish to the season, it will make no difference for his struggling team.