After making a trade with the Dodgers Chris Getz issued a challenge to his newly acquired infielder, Miguel Vargas. As a disappointing 2024 season for both Vargas and the White Sox came to a close, Getz asked the 25-year-old to get stronger.
“I told him, Miguel, I don’t want to even recognize you physically when it comes to Spring Training,’” Getz told MLB.com during Cactus League media day. “He put the work in.”
Vargas responded to the challenge by adding 20 pounds of muscle over the offseason, entering camp at 205 pounds.
It is a critical season for Vargas, who is out of minor-league options. The White Sox would like to avoid having to DFA a player that they acquired in a three-team, eight-player deal that sent minor league infidels Alexander Albertus, Jeral Perez, and Vargas to Chicago’s South Side. However, the early returns from that trade have been disappointing.
During his first 135 at-bats in a White Sox uniform, Vargas slashed .104/.217/.170, finishing the season with just five homers an .150 batting average, and a .506 OPS. White Sox broadcaster John Schriffen noted during a recent broadcast that the White Sox noticed some tweaks that Vargas needed to make to his swing last season, but did not want to overwhelm him by adding too much to his plate.
The approach makes sense for the White Sox. In-season adjustments are hard enough to make at the plate, and having the mental hurdle of being traded from a World Series contender to the worst team in baseball clearly affected Vargas's confidence. After posting a .275 slugging percentage against fastballs last season, the Cuban third baseman has been working on getting better against fastballs at the top of the strike Despite his abysmal offensive production last season, the front office is confident he can bounce back.
In December White Sox Director of Player Personnel, Gene Watson, pegged Vargas as one of two players within the organization that would step up to help carry the offense in 2025. With the added muscle and swing adjustments made this offseason the front office’s confidence in him has only grown.
“He didn’t get off to a great start, and it just really started to snowball from there,” Getz told reporters on Cactus League media day. “He was just worn down. And the adjustments that he needed to make, it was tough at that point just because physically, he couldn’t put himself in that position. We really wanted him to work on his strength and physicality so he could make the proper adjustments.”
Vargas attributed many of his struggles last season to poor conditioning. As the season wore on, he shed over 12 pounds. With a new coaching staff and an offseason of adjustments, the upcoming season presents Vargas with a prime opportunity to reset his career.
