Vargas, who's 5-1 with a MLB-best 1.01 ERA, is finding success with a brand new release point he's employed this season, Devan Fink of SB Nation reports.

EDGE Analysis

Trying to make sense of Vargas' success is not an easy task. He's an aging left-hander whose fastball is one of the slowest in the league -- not to mention he missed practically all of 2016 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. Yet, somehow, Vargas is pitching better than ever in 2017 while posting numbers comparable to Clayton Kershaw and Chris Sale. Fink's report points to a couple of factors for the veteran's early-season accomplishments, with the most notable change being Vargas releasing the ball at a lower point than ever before. Admittedly, the same size is still a bit small for making sweeping conclusions, and the veteran has also been a bit lucky along the way (.264 BAA). Regardless, the 34-year-old is deserving of a roster spot across all formats until regression occurs. Without drawing too close of a comparison, it's worth recognizing that 2016's ERA champion, Kyle Hendricks, was also off the radar for such honors before the campaign started.