<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/dodgers-news-mookie-betts-second-base-miguel-vargas-demotion');   ga('set', 'title', 'Dodgers star Mookie Betts settling in at second base following Miguel Vargas demotion');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Screen-Shot-2023-07-17-at-5.49.04-PM.png"></figure><h1>Dodgers star Mookie Betts settling in at second base following Miguel Vargas demotion</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-07-17T15:01:19-07:00">July 17th, 3:01pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-07-17T15:01:19-07:00">July 17th, 3:01pm</time><address><a>Andrew Meyers</a>Andrew Meyers is an avid sports fan with a fondness for Philadelphia teams that rarely love him back. He has two degrees from Quinnipiac University, including a master's in sports journalism. Outside of ClutchPoints, Meyers does play-by-play broadcasting for various colleges in the northeast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It’s not often we see superstar players willing to change positions mid-season in order to help their teams. That can’t be said for Mookie Betts, a career outfielder who has flawlessly taken over at second base for the Los Angeles Dodgers since the All-Star break.</p><p>Betts started all three games at second base in the Dodgers’ weekend series against the New York Mets and again finds himself in that position for Monday’s series opener against the Baltimore Orioles. In fact, Betts has started <a href="https://twitter.com/billplunkettocr/status/1681027178954145792" rel="noopener">eight of the last nine</a> Dodgers games in the infield, according to Bill Plunkett.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/dodgers-news-freddie-freeman-mookie-betts-mlb-all-star-game" rel="noopener">Betts has at least 98 innings</a> at three different positions this season. The majority of his play has been in right field, but he’s playing the infield in 2023 more than he ever has in his 10-year MLB career. Before this season he had 30 combined appearances in the infield. He has 25 alone at second base in 2023, with 16 others coming at shortstop.</p><h2>Should the Dodgers keep Betts at 2B?</h2><p>There are several factors that come into play when weighing this decision. The first is the play of Betts at the position. Though he’s certainly no stranger to playing second base, it’d be obvious to expect some bumps in the road for Betts given he hasn’t played the position regularly since his rookie season in 2014. He’s had anything but though, making the transition look much smoother than it should.</p><p>Fielding-wise, Betts has yet to make an error at second base in 183 innings this season, truly living up to his six-time Gold Glove Award honors. He’s also <a href="https://twitter.com/billplunkettocr/status/1681028179102760962" rel="noopener">hit the ball</a> exceptionally well in the 25 games he’s appeared at the position, collecting a 1.200 OPS and eight home runs, according to Bill Plunkett.</p><p>The flexibility that Betts playing the infield gives the Dodgers cannot be understated either. Miquel Vargas was tabbed as the team’s second baseman this season but he has fallen well short of expectations, forcing the Dodgers to send him down to Triple-A before the All-Star break. Betts’ emergence at second base allows LA to play an outfield of Jason Heyward, James Outman and David Peralta, all of whom have earned their at-bats.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb-rumors-dodgers-white-sox-lucas-giolito-trade-deadline" rel="noopener">Dodgers could look a little different</a> in two weeks with the trade deadline approaching, but Mookie Betts’ play at second base <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/dodgers-7-sneaky-mlb-trade-deadline-targets-los-angeles" rel="noopener">could alter LA’s plans.</a> The priority is likely to add pitching regardless, but if the Dodgers want to stick with Betts in the infield, they can bring in another utility bat or a bat in the outfield to sure up their bench and give manager Dave Roberts plenty of lineup options down the stretch.</p><p>There were a lot of question marks surrounding the Dodgers as they entered July. LA has won seven of its last 10 games though and jumped from third to first in the NL West standings. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/dodgers-news-dave-roberts-drops-mookie-betts-2023-mvp-truth-bomb" rel="noopener">performance and selflessness of Mookie Betts</a> has gone a long way in making that happen.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Dodgers star Mookie Betts settling in at second base following Miguel Vargas demotion

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/dodgers-2-reasons-miguel-vargas-bounce-back-getting-optioned');   ga('set', 'title', '2 reasons Dodgers’ Miguel Vargas will bounce back after getting optioned');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2-reasons-Miguel-Vargas-will-bounce-back-after-getting-optioned-1.jpg"></figure><h1>2 reasons Dodgers’ Miguel Vargas will bounce back after getting optioned</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-07-10T09:34:32-07:00">July 10th, 9:34am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-07-10T09:38:54-07:00">July 10th, 9:38am</time><address><a href="https://joeymistretta.wordpress.com">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a sports writer/editor who covers multiple sports. Notably, Mistretta covers baseball, basketball, and football. He is originally from a small town in Southern California. Mistretta graduated college with a degree in broadcast journalism from Biola University.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Dodgers <a href="https://twitter.com/Dodgers/status/1678171436182122496" rel="noopener">announced the team</a> optioned 2B Miguel Vargas prior to the MLB All-Star break. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/dodgers-news-la-high-profile-prospect-miguel-vargas-gets-brutally-honest-on-2023-role" rel="noopener">Vargas entered the season</a> as one of LA’s top prospects, but <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/dodgers-news-dave-roberts-reveals-potential-second-base-plan-amid-miguel-vargas-struggles" rel="noopener">he’s underperformed</a> during the 2023 season.</p><p>Some fans have already given up hope on the young infielder. Others believe he can still become a quality big league player. Vargas’ strongest tool has always been his bat, and he will need to re-find his consistency at the plate in order to make an impact with the Dodgers down the road.</p><p>At just 23-years old, there’s still plenty of time for him to figure things out. Without further ado, let’s take a look at two reasons Vargas will bounce back after getting optioned by the Dodgers.</p><h2><b>Reset</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/2-reasons-Miguel-Vargas-will-bounce-back-after-getting-optioned.jpg"></figure><p>Sometimes all a player needs is a reset. The national attention will be taken off Vargas in the minor leagues. He will be able to focus on improving his mechanics/fixing his struggles without having to worry about statistics, backlash from fans, etc.</p><p>In 2023, Vargas has slashed just .195/.305/.367 with a .672 OPS. Vargas recorded seven home runs prior to his demotion.</p><p>However, Vargas has displayed impressive plate discipline and a mature mentality at the plate. There are reasons for hope. Right now, he just isn’t swinging the bat well. Perhaps playing for the Dodgers at such a young age proved to be an obstacle of sorts, but he’s going to receive another chance at some point.</p><p>Look for Vargas to benefit from this reset once LA gives him another chance.</p><h2><b>Dodgers still have confidence in Vargas</b></h2><p>The other reason we can count on a Vargas rebound is the fact that the Dodgers still have confidence in him. Los Angeles wouldn’t have given him an everyday job in 2023 if they didn’t believe in his ability. Vargas can play multiple different positions, but the Dodgers just wanted his bat in the lineup so they made him their second baseman.</p><p>Los Angeles will now have to find a way to replace him at second base moving forward. Regardless of where Vargas plays defensively, the Dodgers still plan on having his bat in the lineup for years to come. Their confidence in him bodes extremely well for Vargas.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2 reasons Dodgers’ Miguel Vargas will bounce back after getting optioned

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/dodgers-news-dave-roberts-reveals-potential-second-base-plan-amid-miguel-vargas-struggles');   ga('set', 'title', 'Dodgers’ Dave Roberts reveals potential second base plan amid Miguel Vargas’ struggles');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Miguel-Vargas-Dodgers.jpg"></figure><h1>Dodgers’ Dave Roberts reveals potential second base plan amid Miguel Vargas’ struggles</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-06-26T09:24:20-07:00">June 26th, 9:24am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-06-26T09:25:03-07:00">June 26th, 9:25am</time><address><a>Rexwell Villas</a>A Communications Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, Rex claims to have JR Smith's conscience with his shot selection. He has won a basketball, a baseball, and a football championship in fantasy all within a year.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Other</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>It has been a rough season so far for Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Miguel Vargas, who <a href="https://twitter.com/Jack_A_Harris/status/1673083700400242690" rel="noopener">could lose some playing time</a> to Michael Busch if he can’t find his way out of a slump soon,  manager Dave Roberts said, per Jack Harris of The Los Angeles Times.</p><p>Roberts also shared his <a href="https://twitter.com/Jack_A_Harris/status/1673083395323355136" rel="noopener">thoughts on the struggles</a> of Vargas at the plate.</p><p><i>“I think the biggest surprise is he’s missing a lot of pitches that are in the strike zone,”</i> Robert said (h/t Harris).<i> “I think that’s the biggest thing that he’s not trying to miss or foul balls off. But at this level, when you get pitches in the hitting zone, and miss them, you foul them off or you pop them up, that’s a hard way to live. I think, for me, that’s the most telling thing.”</i></p><p>Vargas, who struck out in his only at-bat in <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/dodgers-news-freddie-freeman-reacts-unfavorable-trend-hitting-career-milestone" rel="noopener">Sunday’s 6-5 loss</a> to the Houston Astros at home, has gone just 2-for-34 in his last 11 games with a home run, two RBI, three walks, and eight strikeouts.</p><p>Baseball can be brutal to anyone, but positive regression is also a real thing in the sport, so hopefully for Vargas and the Dodgers, he will be able to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/dodgers-news-miguel-vargas-heating-up-james-outman" rel="noopener">taste some success</a> sooner than later. So far in the 2023 MLB regular season, Vargas is hitting .201/.301/.376 with seven home runs and 30 RBI. In addition, he is sporting a 19.7 percent strikeout rate and .227 BABIP.</p><p>Busch isn’t doing much better at the plate than Vargas, but he’s not as cold of late either.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Dodgers’ Dave Roberts reveals potential second base plan amid Miguel Vargas’ struggles

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/dodgers-news-miguel-vargas-heating-up-james-outman');   ga('set', 'title', 'Miguel Vargas heating up, joining James Outman in Dodgers’ rookie power showcase');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Dodgers-news-Miguel-Vargas-heating-up-joining-James-Outman-in-LA-rookie-power-showcase.jpg"></figure><h1>Miguel Vargas heating up, joining James Outman in Dodgers’ rookie power showcase</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-05-11T11:11:28-07:00">May 11th, 11:11am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-05-11T11:11:28-07:00">May 11th, 11:11am</time><address><a href="https://joeymistretta.wordpress.com">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a sports writer/editor who covers multiple sports. Notably, Mistretta covers baseball, basketball, and football. He is originally from a small town in Southern California. Mistretta graduated college with a degree in broadcast journalism from Biola University.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Los Angeles Dodgers rookie James Outman has <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/dodgers-news-clayton-kershaw-james-outman-win-april-award" rel="noopener">stolen the show so far</a> in 2023. However, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/dodgers-los-angeles-silencing-critics-james-outman-led-youth-movement" rel="noopener">another Dodgers rookie</a> is heating up. Miguel Vargas is beginning to display his power potential, with <a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/news/amid-may-power-surge-things-are-coming-together-for-miguel-vargas-and-the-dodgers" rel="noopener">seven of his last 14</a> extra base hits coming since May 2, per Clint Pasillas of si.com. Vargas is still hitting just .219 on the season, but he’s blasted home runs in back-to-back games.</p><p>Miguel Vargas is regarded as a pure hitter. He excels at taking the ball to all parts of the field and offers sneaky power. He now has four home runs on the season, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him surpass the 20-home run mark by season’s end.</p><p>Los Angeles believes in his potential. At just 23-years old, the sky seems to be the limit for him. He still has some development to do at the plate, but Vargas may be the next Dodgers’ star alongside James Outman.</p><p>Following a fairly mediocre start to the season, the Dodgers are playing well over the past couple of weeks. Los Angeles has gone 8-2 over their past 10 games, most recently <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/dodgers-news-clayton-kershaw-hall-of-fame-brewers" rel="noopener">taking two of three</a> from the Milwaukee Brewers on the road. The San Diego Padres received the most hype in the NL West heading into the year, but the Dodgers simply don’t care. They are confident in their ability to still win the division.</p><p>James Outman, Miguel Vargas, and the Dodgers will host the Padres for a three-game series in Los Angeles beginning Friday. The Dodgers won their series versus San Diego last week 2-1 on the road, so the Padres will be seeking revenge at Dodger Stadium this weekend.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Miguel Vargas heating up, joining James Outman in Dodgers’ rookie power showcase

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/dodgers-news-miguel-vargas-encouraging-injury-update-after-scary-hbp-vs-rockies');   ga('set', 'title', 'Dodgers get encouraging Miguel Vargas injury update after scary HBP vs. Rockies');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Dodgers-news-Encouraging-Miguel-Vargas-injury-update-after-scary-HBP-vs.-Rockies.jpg"></figure><h1>Dodgers get encouraging Miguel Vargas injury update after scary HBP vs. Rockies</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2023-04-04T17:42:20-07:00">April 4th, 5:42pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2023-04-04T17:42:59-07:00">April 4th, 5:42pm</time><address><a>Alex House</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Dodgers appeared to avoid disaster after their prized rookie <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/dodgers-dave-roberts-reveals-crucial-gavin-lux-miguel-vargas-spring-training-strategy" rel="noopener">Miguel Vargas</a> was hit by a pitch on his thumb Monday night versus the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/rockies-news-daniel-bard-injured-list-opening-day-anxiety" rel="noopener">Colorado Rockies</a>. The 23-year-old second baseman is not in the lineup Tuesday due to soreness and mild swelling, but is <a href="https://twitter.com/DodgerInsider/status/1643391334550732800" rel="noopener">available to pinch hit</a>, according to Dodger Insider.</p><p>The injury update is great news for fans who are thoroughly enjoying witnessing the birth of the next potential franchise star. In a minuscule sample size, Vargas is batting .375 with a mammoth .722 OBP thanks to nine walks in five games. He was <a href="https://www.mlb.com/prospects/top100/" rel="noopener">ranked No. 37</a> on MLB.com’s Top 100 Prospect List going into this season.</p><p>LA lost many key players over the offseason, including longtime fan favorites Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner, as well as star shortstop Trea Turner. As is the Dodger way, the organization has leaned on its abundant farm system to fill those holes. In addition to Vargas, rookie outfielder James Outman has also made a grand first impression with a .400 batting average, two home runs and eight RBIs.</p><p>This is about the time when the National League lets out a collective grown. No franchise has been more consistently excellent in the regular season for the last decade than the Dodgers. Stars have come and gone, but Dave Roberts’ club just keeps winning. Of course, there is still something left to prove with only one World Series during that span- which many will dismiss given the 60-game 2020 season.</p><p>Regardless, they position themselves to contend every year. Vargas could be part of the next generation to carry on that proud baseball tradition. He could be out for a couple days, though, as Roberts will probably want to exercise caution in early April.</p><p>In the meantime, Mookie Betts will happily fill in at second.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025 SEASON STATS
BA	HR	RBI	OPS	SB
.182	0	2	0.523	0

2025 SEASON STATS
BA	HR	RBI	OPS	SB
.182	0	2	0.523	0

Miguel Vargas

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Miguel Vargas heating up, joining James Outman in Dodgers’ rookie power showcase

Dodgers get encouraging Miguel Vargas injury update after scary HBP vs. Rockies

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