Vargas fell off in July, posting a 7.23 ERA -- his worst such mark for any month since June of 2012 as a Mariner -- while owning a season-high .333 BAA over four starts.

EDGE Analysis

It's probably unfair to say, "I told you so," when it comes to Vargas' unexpected early-season success, but July was certainly concerning. After serving up just eight home runs in his first 101.1 innings of the year, Vargas gave up six over 18.2 frames last month. The veteran ended June with an 85.7 percent strand rate, a mark many thought was unsustainable, and that number did in fact regress to 75.2 percent in July. Despite still leading the AL in wins (13) and ranking fourth in ERA (3.00), owners should be cautious of employing a 'set it and forget it' strategy with Vargas as August begins.