Diamondbacks' Ildemaro Vargas is on one of most improbable runs in MLB history

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Apr 30, 2026 - 04:37

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Diamondbacks' Ildemaro Vargas is on one of most improbable runs in MLB history originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Ildemaro Vargas had reached the point of his career where nothing new was supposed to happen.

He'd played a lot of MLB games. He was a utility infielder, through and through. He brought versatility to the table, but not a lot of upside.

Well, except then the calendar turned to 2026.

Vargas is hitting .372 this season with six home runs and a 1.091 OPS.

He has a 22-game hitting streak to start the season, one of the best in MLB history:

Longest hitting streaks to start season, last 90 years:

1976 Ron LeFlore: 30 games
1937 Gee Walker: 27
2006 Edgar Renteria: 23
2026 Ildemaro Vargas: 22 *active
1971 Joe Torre: 22 https://t.co/ue8lymaX8u— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 30, 2026

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It's hard to capture the absurdity of this, but we'll try.

Before this season, Vargas was a .249 career hitter. He's hitting .372 through April 29.

Before this season, Vargas had a .646 OPS. He's got a 1.091 OPS through April 29.

He had 20 home runs through his first 458 MLB games.

He has 6 homers already this season through 22 games.

None of it makes sense.

Vargas is 34 years old. How did he reach this point of growth now?

Is it a fluke? Is it real? Frankly, does it matter?

This is one of those things you simply have to appreciate in the moment. Vargas has reached a level very few would've ever thought possible for him.

Right now, he's making a hard game look easier than he ever has before. And that's a pretty cool sight.