Chicago White Sox get walked off by the Los Angeles Angels and Miguel Vargas lands on the injured list

Chicago Tribune

16 hours ago

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Chicago White Sox manager Will Venable knew about eight minutes before Saturday's game that the team would be without infielder Miguel Vargas.
'A little scramble, but that's what we do,' Venable said before Sunday's game. 'It's all about adjustments.'
The adjustments continued Sunday when the Sox placed Vargas on 10-day injured list (retroactive to Saturday) with a left oblique strain and recalled infielder Curtis Mead from Triple-A Charlotte.
Vargas felt something during his last round of batting practice on Saturday.
'I didn't think it was anything crazy,' Vargas said Sunday. 'We always have (a) little something everywhere. I thought it wasn't that bad. And then in the cage (hitting before the game), I wasn't feeling good.'
Vargas has a positive mindset.
'Everybody's process is different,' he said. 'I feel better than yesterday, for sure. I don't feel that bad. Hopefully I can come back soon.'
He watched as the Sox suffered a tough loss Sunday, falling 8-5 to the Los Angeles Angels in front of 30,963 at Angel Stadium. Taylor Ward hit a game-ending three-run home run in the ninth.
The Sox built a five-run lead — with four coming in the first inning. The Angels chipped away, scoring three in the sixth and two in the seventh to tie the score. Ward ended it with the three-run home run off reliever Tyler Alexander.
'It was kind of a tale of two games,' Venable said. 'First five innings, offense did a great job. (Starter Sean) Burke was outstanding, fastball was great. And then, it really just turned there. Offensively, we kind of stalled out and they had the momentum and we just didn't seem to be able to get any outs.'
Burke allowed three runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and two walks in five-plus innings. All three runs came in the sixth when the four batters he faced reached.
'Felt good all day with my stuff,' Burke said. 'Frustrating to kind of end it like that, but one I could build off of going forward.'
Colson Montgomery had a three-run home run and an RBI single in the loss. The Sox (42-70) had to settle for taking two of three from the Angels.
They'll continue the trip on Tuesday in Seattle without the availability of Vargas, who said this marks the first time he's been on the injured list.
'(Vargas) has been one of our guys the whole year,' Venable said. 'Leader in the clubhouse, leader on the field. A performer on the field. Especially after a tough start. We're going to miss him a lot, at least he'll be around, he can still impact the club and give us some energy, which he always does. It's a tough blow for us with everything he means for us on the field.'
Vargas has a .229/.305/.402 slash line with 25 doubles, 13 home runs, 44 RBIs and 57 runs in 106 games this season. He is slashing .314/.352/.549 (16-for-51) with three doubles, three home runs, nine RBIs and 11 runs over his last 12 games.
'I've been working on a lot of things the whole year, I feel like I've been grinding the whole year,' Vargas said. 'It kind of sucks having this step back at this point of the season, but I want to be 100% when I come back to the field.'
Vargas will try to aid the team in any way he can.
'I want to be on the field with my team, especially (at) this moment,' he said. 'We are playing so much better baseball and I've been really enjoying winning baseball games. Right now, for me, it's be on the bench and support my teammates the best way I can.'
The Sox will mix and match in a variety of ways in the infield while Vargas, who has made 58 starts at third base and 42 at first base, is out of action. Brooks Baldwin filled in at third while Lenyn Sosa played first on Saturday and Sunday. Josh Rojas, who was originally slated to start at third on Saturday, shifted to second. He was at that position again on Sunday.
'We'll look at matchups and what it means on a given day, knowing that it can change,' Venable said. 'But we have some flexibility with Baldwin, Rojas, Sosa and now Mead in the mix. We'll see how it all shakes out.'
The Sox acquired Mead on Thursday as part of the trade that sent pitcher Adrian Houser to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Mead, 24, is 4-for-7 (.571) with two doubles, three walks, two RBIs and two runs in two games with Charlotte. He is slashing .300/.391/.517 with four doubles, three home runs, nine RBIs and 12 runs in 16 games between Charlotte and Triple-A Durham this season.
He slashed .226/.318/.339 with three home runs, eight RBIs and 14 runs in 49 games with the Rays in 2025.
'Excited about Curtis,' Venable said. 'Versatility in the infield, can play second base, both corners. Probably prefer him on the corners in the infield. A right-handed bat with above-average bat speed. Really excited to have him.'
The Sox claimed left-handed pitcher Bryan Hudson and right-hander Elvis Peguero off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday and designated right-hander Jesse Scholtens for assignment.
Hudson and Peguero were both optioned to Charlotte.
Hudson, 26, was designated for assignment by the Brewers on July 31 after going 0-1 with a 4.35 ERA, 12 walks and 13 strikeouts in 12 relief appearances this season. Peguero, 28, was designated for assignment by the Brewers on July 31 after posting a 4.91 ERA and five strikeouts in six relief appearances during two stints with the major-league team in 2025.
The Sox also released veteran pitcher Noah Syndergaard, who had reached Charlotte with the organization. He had a 10.13 ERA in two starts for the Knights.