Miguel Vargas’ first half has already put him in some rare White Sox company, even if the All-Star voting didn’t break his way.
When the latest voting totals came out four days ago, the dream took a hit. Vargas had been chasing a start in the Midsummer Classic, which would have made him the first White Sox third baseman to start an All-Star Game since 1933. Instead, he is set to finish third at the position, and his path to the roster now looks uncertain.
Still, the numbers he has put together through the first half of 2026 are loud enough to demand a second look. Vargas is in his fifth MLB season, so the comparison with other White Sox third basemen is based on where those players stood at the same point in their careers.
The names on that list are heavy ones: Bill Melton, Robin Ventura, Joe Crede, Pete Ward and Willie Kamm. Melton was an All-Star in 1971 and had back-to-back 30-homer seasons.
Ventura was a five-time Gold Glove winner and seventh in franchise history in home runs. Crede was an excellent defender and a key piece of the 2005 World Series team.
Ward hit at least 10 home runs in five of his seven White Sox seasons. Kamm’s .370 on-base percentage is second among all White Sox third basemen.
Against that group, Vargas holds up very well.
Through 81 games, he has hit .252 with an .866 OPS, 19 home runs, 52 RBIs, 10 stolen bases, 74 hits, 14 doubles and one triple in 294 at-bats. Among those White Sox third basemen at the same stage of their careers, he ranks first in runs, home runs, stolen bases, RBIs and OPS.
The comparison gets even more interesting when you look at the first halves of the seasons in which Melton, Ventura and Crede were eventually named All-Stars. Vargas is right there with them in the categories that matter most.
At the halfway point of those seasons, Melton in 1971 had 20 homers, 52 RBIs and a .910 OPS. Ventura in 1992 was hitting .298 with 95 hits, 20 doubles and an .831 OPS.
Crede in 2008 had 16 home runs and 49 RBIs. Vargas sits at 19 homers, 52 RBIs and a .866 OPS, while also producing a .360 mark with runners at second and/or third and two outs, along with 12 RBIs in those spots.
He trails in some areas, including hits, doubles and batting average, but the power and run production are right in the mix. For a hitter who does not always stack up well in average, he has delivered when the situation gets tight. Of the group, only Ventura comes close in those clutch moments.
That matters for a White Sox lineup that has leaned on Vargas to do damage. He has already come through enough times that his first half deserves to be measured against the best third basemen the franchise has had.
The all-star bid may be in jeopardy, but the production is real. And with Phase 2 voting still in play, White Sox fans can keep pushing, even if the fans in Vancouver or Toronto feel differently. The additions to the All-Star roster will be revealed by the players and Commissioner's Office on July 4.
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