Vargas signed a one-year contract with the Nationals on Tuesday, avoiding arbitration

EDGE Analysis

Vargas provided solid production at the plate for Washington, slashing .302/.338/.439 upon joining the team in August. The 31-year-old infielder will likely slide back into his starter role in 2023.

Vargas is out of the lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader versus the Mets, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Vargas went 0-for-4 during the matinee and will step out of the starting nine for Game 2. Cesar Hernandez will move to the hot corner while Josh Palacios starts in left field.

Vargas isn't starting Friday against the Marlins.

EDGE Analysis

Vargas has hit just 3-for-19 in his last five starts, so he will get a day off Friday. Cesar Hernandez will take over for him in the hot corner and bat second.

Vargas went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a steal in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to the Orioles.

EDGE Analysis

Vargas recorded his third straight multi-hit game with two base knocks Tuesday. The second baseman singled and scored in the third inning, singled again in the fourth and walked and stole second base in the ninth. The stolen base was his third of the season, and the two-hit effort increased his slash line to .293/.338/.450 through 152 plate appearances.

Vargas isn't in the lineup Friday against the Phillies.

EDGE Analysis

Vargas has gone 1-for-11 with a run, an RBI and a strikeout over his last three games and will head to the bench for a second consecutive matchup. Cesar Hernandez is starting at the hot corner and batting fifth.

Vargas is not in Thursday's lineup against the Cardinals.

EDGE Analysis

The 31-year-old infielder had started 26 games in a row, hitting .272/.309/.424 with three home runs and two steals in 92 at-bats over that stretch. Vargas rarely strikes out (10.8 K%) and provides strong defense at third base, shortstop and second base.

Vargas will start at third base and bat seventh in Tuesday's game against the Athletics, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

With Washington recently releasing Maikel Franco and opting to deploy Cesar Hernandez as a utility player following Luis Garcia's activation from the injured list rather than breaking Hernandez in at third base, Vargas looks to have built some job security as the Nationals' primary option at the hot corner. He enters Tuesday's contest coming off a productive four-game stretch in which he went 5-for-13 with two home runs, a double and two walks to lift his OPS up to .790 for the season.

Vargas went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Thursday's 3-1 win against the Padres.

EDGE Analysis

Vargas produced the first run of the game with a solo shot off Yu Darvish in the third inning. The long ball was his first since May 20, though he's spent considerable time in the minors since that date. Vargas has never flashed much power in the minors, and he's swatted a modest 10 homers across 428 career at-bats as a big-leaguer.

Vargas isn't in the lineup Monday against the Cubs.

EDGE Analysis

Vargas started the last three games and went 2-for-9 with a double, an RBI and a walk. Maikel Franco will take his place at the hot corner and bat ninth.

Vargas went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk in Saturday's 11-5 loss to the Phillies.

EDGE Analysis

He's now picked up a start in three of the past four games, getting two nods at third base and one at shortstop while going 6-for-9 with a walk. Vargas is in the lineup at third base again Sunday and will hit ninth in Sunday's series finale. At this point, Vargas may have leapfrogged Maikel Franco as the Nationals' preferred option at the hot corner.