The White Sox had a strange Miguel Vargas call before Wednesday’s game, and the ending made it look even stranger.
With 18 games left and an off-day already in the rearview mirror two days earlier, manager Will Venable decided to give Vargas the night off. The move immediately raised eyebrows, especially with the White Sox sitting two games up in the AL Central entering Thursday and the season clearly in its stretch run. A routine rest day for one of the club’s most important bats did not make much sense on the surface, and plenty of people assumed something was wrong.
Venable pushed back on that idea before the game. He said, "Just trying to get through this stretch, so most likely will be the last off day for Miguel Vargas. I think this is 13 or 14 in a row that we’re getting going, so you’re just trying to get through here and put everyone in the best spot."
Vargas still found his way into the game later, just as expected. He pinch hit for Andrew Benintendi against Pirates lefty Gregory Soto in the sixth inning and struck out.
Then came the moment that really stung.
After Camilo Doval entered with a 4-0 lead, the White Sox started to chip away. Braden Montgomery drew a walk.
Tristan Peters struck out. Chase Meidroth battled through a 10-pitch at-bat and reached on an infield single.
Kyle Teel walked to load the bases, and Sam Antonacci followed with another infield single to bring home Chicago’s first run.
That set the stage for Vargas with the bases loaded and one out, the White Sox down three and suddenly within striking distance. Pittsburgh turned to Yohan Ramirez, and on a 1-2 count Vargas rolled over a sinker away and bounced into an inning-ending double play. Just like that, the rally was gone.
Chicago would leave the bases loaded again in the eighth and fall 4-2.
It’s impossible to know what would have happened if Benintendi had stayed in for that at-bat, but the optics of the whole sequence were rough. The benching looked questionable before the game, and the result only sharpened the criticism. Vargas has not been flawless, but he has been the White Sox’s best hitter all season, and there wasn’t anyone else you’d rather see in that spot.
With 17 games left and a two-game cushion still intact, the White Sox probably can’t afford many more easy rest days for regulars. Venable’s club is going to have to lean on its young lineup down the stretch, and the safest play now is clear: get the best nine on the field as often as possible.
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