White Sox' Miguel Vargas ready to roll now that he's entrenched at third

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Migual Vargas has played three infield positions and left field during his four-year major league career, but for the 26-year-old Cuban, third base is where it’s at.

That’s where the White Sox have him penciled in to play in 2026 and no one is happier about it than Vargas. Except for his father.

Lazaro Vargas played third base his entire 22-year career in Cuba, with whom he won gold medals at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics.

“That position has always been special to me,” Miguel Vargas said Friday.

So is Vargas’ jersey No. 20, which his dad wore, too.

“When he first saw it, he cried,” Vargas said.

Vargas remains close to his dad, his daily dominoes opponent during the offseason in Miami. If they talked baseball over the games, Vargas’ best season yet, 2025, probably came up.

Vargas batted .234/.316/.401 with 16 homers, 32 doubles, 80 runs and 60 RBI in 138 games. He led the team in doubles and runs scored.

“I achieved a lot of things that I wanted to achieve, especially playing the whole year in the big leagues and staying healthy,” said Vargas, who appeared in 79 games at third base, 69 at first and one in left field. “Helping my team every day was special. It’s hard to stay healthy the whole year in the big leagues.

“My biggest challenge is to play third base every day. Offensively I want to lower my strikeout rate [17.6%] I wasn’t striking out too much, but nobody likes to strike out.”

Nobody likes to lose as well, and Vargas is aiming for less of that as well.

“We have a really good group and I’m excited about this season,” said Vargas, who was 2-for-3 with a double against MacKenzie Gore Friday.

Benintendi joins list of hurt outfielders

Left fielder Andrew Benintendi was scratched from the lineup with tightness in his right side, joining center fielders Luisangel Acuna and Everson Pereria on the sidelines.

“Just right side tightness,” manager Will Venable said. “He’s been running around a lot, swinging a lot. Really just precautionary, he said he feels fine. I think he would play if this was the regular season, but just want to be cautious.”

Acuna sustained a cut above his left eye sliding into second base Wednesday. His helmet became dislodged and caused a gash requiring four stitches.

Pereria has a right oblique strain and is not expected back soon.

Just win, baby

Right-hander Erick Fedde, back on the pitching staff after being away for one and a half seasons, echoed what other pitchers are hearing from coaches in camp: Pound the strike zone.

“They’ve been harping on ‘win the first three,’ ’’ Fedde said. “I’m sure you’ve heard it from other guys. It’s been the heart and soul of the pitching mentality.”

Winning the first three is throwing strikes on two of the first three pitches. Fedde threw 19 of 29 pitches for strikes over two scoreless innings Friday.

“The [coaches and staff] share our numbers like, ‘look what you do when you win two out of three and what you do when you don’t win’ it so it’s been a mindset of mine,” Fedde said.

“Today was let’s attack these guys and the numbers say it’s better, so let’s do it and trust it.”

SOX 3, RANGERS 1 (ss)

BREWERS 5, SOX 2 (ss)

The Sox (5-4) got a home run from LaMonte Wade Jr. and a pair of hits from Miguel Vargas (.384) against the Rangers.

• Right-hander Mike Vasil, an effective reliever who wants to be considered as a starter, struck out four while allowing two walks and three hits over three innings of one-run ball.

• On the Sox top prospect watch, top lefty pitching prospect Noah Schultz struck out three and walked none while allowing a run on three hits against the Brewers. Schultz threw 23 of 33 pitches for strikes. Righty Tanner McDougal allowed two runs on four hits and no walks while striking out three over three innings.

• On deck: Sox at Guardians, Saturday, 2:05 p.m., Goodyear, CHSN, Shane Smith vs. Tanner Bibee