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Ildemaro Vargas Remains Out of Diamondbacks Lineup on Sunday
Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ildemaro Vargas (thigh) remains out of the starting lineup for his team's Sunday matchup against the Washington Nationals. The 34-year-old has not made a start since colliding with Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy on Thursday. Vargas has emerged as a key piece early on in 2026 for Arizona, hitting .282/.313/.441 with seven home runs, 37 RBI, 30 runs scored, and one stolen base while logging near-everyday playing time at first base. However, Vargas has cooled off considerably after a red-hot start to the year. The veteran hit just .227 with one home run in May after finishing April with a .378 average and six long balls. In Vargas' absence on Sunday, recently promoted Diamondbacks prospect LuJames Groover will make his third straight start at third base and bat eighth.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Ildemaro Vargas Out on Friday After Scary Collision on Thursday
Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ildemaro Vargas (thigh) is not in the team's starting lineup for Friday's game against the visiting Washington Nationals after colliding at first base with Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy in Thursday's walk-off win, according to MLB.com. LuJames Groover, who was called up from Triple-A Reno on Friday, will make his major-league debut on Friday, starting at first base and batting fifth against Nationals left-hander Foster Griffin. Vargas should be considered day-to-day with his thigh injury, and he could be back in Arizona's starting nine as early as Saturday at Chase Field against the Nats. After a strong start at the plate that came out of nowhere for the 34-year-old Venezuelan infielder, Vargas has predictably cooled down offensively. He's hitting .283 (60-for-212) on the season with seven home runs, but he's been ice-cold in his last 15 games, going 5-for-50 (.100) with a double, six RBI, two runs, three walks, and five strikeouts. There's a good chance we may have already seen Vargas' peak in 2026.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Ildemaro Vargas Leaves Early After Collision at First Base
Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ildemaro Vargas (undisclosed), who was starting at first base on Thursday in the series finale against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers, left the game early after colliding with Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy in the fifth inning during a play at first base, according to Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports. Both players were removed from the game and looked to be in plenty of discomfort on the ground before trainers came out to check on them. Vargas was helped to the dugout and appeared to be holding his leg, although it's unclear exactly what his injury is. He went 0-for-2 at the plate before being replaced at first base by Pavin Smith. The 34-year-old Venezuelan veteran was one of the hottest hitters in baseball early in the 2026 season, but he has come back down to Earth lately, going 5-for-48 (.104) with a double, six RBI, two runs scored, three walks, and five strikeouts in 14 games going into Thursday's series finale at Chase Field. At the very least, Vargas will probably sit out of Friday's series opener against the Washington Nationals, but fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day until we know more. UPDATE: Manager Torey Lovullo said that Vargas is day-to-day with a bruised left thigh and rib cage, according to Jose M. Romero of The Arizona Republic.
Source: Arizona Sports - Alex Weiner
Source: Arizona Sports - Alex Weiner
Ketel Marte Returns for Series Finale Against Dodgers
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (back, hamstring) is starting at second base and batting leadoff for Thursday's series finale against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers and left-hander Justin Wrobleski, according to MLB.com. The D-backs kept Marte out of the lineup as a precaution for Wednesday's game due to minor back and hamstring injuries, but he's back in action just a day later. The 32-year-old Dominican switch-hitter should be returned to all starting fantasy lineups in traditional leagues against Wrobleski, whom he has never faced in his career. Marte enters Thursday's action with a .259/.315/.456 slash line, .771 OPS, 10 home runs, 36 RBI, and 36 runs scored across 57 games and 251 plate appearances this year. Fantasy managers will be hoping he can turn things around after going just 1-for-18 with a homer, four RBI, two runs, four walks, and three punchouts in his last five games. Marte has hit better against lefties in a smaller sample size, going 19-for-65 (.292) and with three of his 10 homers on the year.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Ketel Marte Out on Wednesday With Back, Hamstring Injuries
Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (back, hamstring) is out of Wednesday's starting lineup against the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field due to lower-back tightness and a tender hamstring, according to Jose M. Romero of The Arizona Republic. Manager Torey Lovullo classified it as a day of rest for Marte, who was feeling uncomfortable during Tuesday's loss to L.A. Ildemaro Vargas will start at the keystone for the Snakes and will bat seventh in the order against right-hander Shohei Ohtani. The D-backs will give Marte a breather against one of the best pitchers in the league this year in Ohtani, and he could be back in action as early as Thursday's series finale against the Blue. The 32-year-old switch-hitting Dominican infielder had an 11-game hitting streak from May 16 to May 27, in which he hit over .500 with four homers, six doubles, and 17 RBI, before going 1-for-18 with a homer and four RBI in his last five contests. For now, Marte should be considered day-to-day, and fantasy managers should check back on Thursday to see if he's back on the field. When fully healthy, Marte is a must-start in all traditional fantasy leagues.
Source: The Arizona Republic - Jose M. Romero
Source: The Arizona Republic - Jose M. Romero
With Return Nearing, Should Managers Stash Jordan Lawlar?
Arizona Diamondbacks infielder/outfielder Jordan Lawlar (wrist) has been rehabbing with the team's Complex League affiliate, but is poised to move his rehab to Triple-A Reno by the end of the week, according to manager Torey Lovullo. The former top prospect is 2-for-8 with a double, a 2:2 BB:K, and a steal through three rehab games. Lawlar cracked the team's Opening Day roster as an outfielder and had collected at least one hit in five of six games, including his first major league home run, before suffering a fractured wrist as the result of getting hit by a pitch. The 23-year-old has always had the promise of a multi-category producer for fantasy, but has consistently run into issues staying healthy. The former first-rounder hit .313 with 11 home runs and 20 steals in only 63 games for Reno last season, and with the potential to hit for power and the ability to steal bases, Lawlar should be one of the top IL stashes with his return to the majors likely to come by mid-June.
Source: Alex Weiner
Source: Alex Weiner
Tommy Troy is Heading to the Big Leagues
Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Tommy Troy is receiving the call to the big leagues. The 24-year-old has reportedly been called up after a strong showing in the minor leagues. Through 44 games, Troy was slashing .307/.397/.449 with three home runs and 28 RBI with Triple-A Reno this season. This is a well-deserved call-up after Troy put together strong numbers at Double-A and Triple-A last season as well. Troy is a player who can do a little bit of everything at the plate. He has 15-homer power with enough speed to steal around 20 bases and isn't afraid to draw a walk as well. He's certainly worth a look in deep leagues, assuming he's going to get regular playing time in Arizona.
Source: Milb Central
Source: Milb Central
With Potential June Return, Time to Consider Stashing Jordan Lawlar?
Arizona Diamondbacks infielder/outfielder Jordan Lawlar (wrist) has yet to start swinging a bat as part of his rehab from a fractured right wrist, but with a potential return in June, fantasy managers need to start considering snatching him back up off the waiver wire ahead of time. The former sixth-overall draft pick had a strong season at Triple-A in 2025 (.313/.403/.564) and was off to a good start for the D-backs this season, going 6-for-18 (.333) with a home run and a stolen base in his first six games before going down with injury. While staying on the field has been an issue for him, the fractured wrist was a result of getting hit by a pitch, so it is not a recurring type of injury, and hopefully, he can remain healthy for the remainder of the season once he returns. The former top prospect has decent pop, plenty of speed, and should be able to hit for a decent average, giving him some all-around fantasy appeal to go along with positional versatility on Yahoo!, where he is rostered in just six percent of leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
