Mookie Betts, as expected, was placed on the injured list on Monday after suffering a fracture in his left hand on Sunday. The Dodgers called Miguel Vargas back up from Triple-A Oklahoma City five days after getting optioned, though this time with an opportunity to play a little more often than before.
No, Vargas won’t be playing shortstop for Betts, obviously, but Vargas will start in left field against left-handed pitching, manager Dave Roberts said Sunday. And this time, there’s reason to believe it.
Miguel Rojas will get the bulk of work at shortstop in Betts’ absence, with Kiké Hernández also seeing some time at the position. Rojas has already been starting in place of Gavin Lux against left-handers, most recently directly at second base and, at times earlier in the season, at shortstop with Betts at second. Having to now also cover second base against lefties likely means more Hernández and possibly Chris Taylor there, the latter taking away another option in left field.
Vargas was called up on May 17 when Max Muncy went on the injured list, not as a direct replacement, but more because he was the Dodgers’ best remaining hitter in the minors. He did well enough with the big club, hitting .250/.304/.550 with three doubles and a home run, but Vargas barely played.
He was optioned to Triple-A last Wednesday, when the Dodgers acquired Cavan Biggio from Toronto.
In the 22 games Vargas was active, he played in only eight games, starting six times, and batted just 23 times. The only Dodger with fewer plate appearances during that span was backup catcher Austin Barnes, with 19.
The Dodgers in Vargas’ last stint with the club only faced five actual left-handed starting pitchers in 22 games, and he started four of them, with Taylor starting the other. He could potentially face four southpaws this week alone, with Austin Gomber and Ty Blach started Tuesday and Thursday for the Rockies, then Patrick Sandoval and José Suarez lined up to pitch for the Angels this weekend.
Since getting optioned, Vargas played twice for Oklahoma City, going 1-or-6 with four walks on Friday and Saturday in Sugar Land, Texas. Vargas was originally penciled into Sunday evening’s starting lineup, but was scratched soon after Betts got hit by a pitch in Los Angeles.
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