Miguel Vargas was selected as the American League Player of the Week, according to MLB yesterday. This has undoubtedly been the best offensive stretch for the Havana native since his major league debut. This season, he is the second Cuban to earn the distinction and the first in the junior league. Vargas had a truly insane week at the plate, hitting four home runs in six games with the Chicago White Sox.
He also drove in nine runs and scored in five other runs for his team. Vargas also swatted 10 hits in 26 appearances, posting a .417 batting average and a .423 on-base percentage over that stretch. This was dramatic rebound at the plate after a slow start. On April 19th (a month earlier), he was hitting just .139. However, all of that has changed considerably for the better for the son of Cuban legend Lázaro Vargas. In May, he showed his full potential, which projected him as one of the best up-and-coming young hitters.
In his 15 games in May, he’s batting .296, with 16 hits in 62 at-bats, including five of his six home runs, 12 RBIs, and nine runs scored. During that span, he’s only struck out six times and has also walked six times, raising his on-base percentage to .371. The Cuban is leading the team in that department, in addition to also leading the squad in RBIs with 20 and doubles with 10.
He also ranks second on the White Sox in hits (39) and runs (20), reaffirming his role as the most consistent offensive figure in Chicago’s lineup so far this season. Andy Pagés was the last Cuban player to win this award, which took place between April 21 and 27. That week, he had 13 hits in 20 appearances, with three home runs, two doubles, and six RBIs for a .650 on-base percentage. The last Cuban to be named American League Player of the Week was Yordan Álvarez, who received the award on August 10, 2024.