Carlos

Vargas

The 26-year-old right-hander has been sidelined since spring training due to a right lat strain and is finally ready to contribute to the Mariners’ bullpen. Nick Davila was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma in a corresponding move to clear a spot on the club’s active roster.

The move is retroactive to March 24. Vargas was surprisingly unavailable last night, and now we know why. The right-hander had a 3.97 ERA in 70 appearances with the Mariners in 2025 and figures to be a middle innings consideration for the club when healthy again.

Vargas missed the series against the Tigers while welcoming a new member to the family, but he’ll be back with Seattle after the All-Star break in a middle-innings role.

Vargas will be away from the team for up to three days while he welcomes a new member to his family. Tayler Saucedo will rejjoin the Seattle bullpen in a corresponding move.

Andrés Muñoz was unavailable for the Mariners on Tuesday after pitching in two of the last three days. It was Vargas who got the call in the ninth to close out the game with a two-run lead. He stranded two runners, striking out two to record the save and secure the win for Seattle.

Vargas throws extremely hard, but has yet to carve out a permanent role at the highest level yet. The 24-year-old flamethrower made five relief appearances last season for the Diamondbacks before being shipped to the Mariners last November as part of the Eugenio Suárez deal. He still has minor league options left, so he’s headed to Triple-A Tacoma to open the year.

It’s a light return for Seattle, but the Mariners are hoping the recently acquired Luis Urías can give them similar production to Suárez at third base, and this does save some money to be used elsewhere. Vargas, a former Guardians prospect, had a 7.02 ERA and a 36/32 K/BB ratio in 42 1/3 innings as a Triple-A reliever last season. He throws 97-101 mph, so he offers plenty of upside out of the pen if his control comes along. However, it’s been slow going thus far, and he has just one option year remaining.

Vargas was brought back to the majors for Sunday’s first-half finale, but will head back to the minors prior to Friday’s second-half opener against the Blue Jays up in Toronto.

Vargas made the Diamondbacks roster out of Spring Training but was optioned to Triple-A in early April after posting a 5.79 ERA across five appearances. He wasn’t much better in Triple-A; in fact, he was worse, but he returns to Arizona’s bullpen with Tyler Gilbert heading to the paternity list on Sunday.

The hard-throwing Vargas had a 5.79 ERA and a 7/4 K/BB ratio in 4 2/3 innings. He’ll be back.