The Cuban slugger Miguel Vargas wrote a new historical chapter this Sunday by hitting his 28th home run of the 2026 season, leading the Chicago White Sox to a 7-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers.
According to Pelota Cubana, the hit came in the ninth inning against right-hander Jacob Waguespack, who threw a fastball at 94.2 mph that the Havana native punished at 98.0 mph, sending the ball 381 feet into left field.
Vargas batted third and played third base, finishing the game 4-1 with a home run, one run scored, one RBI, one walk, and one strikeout.
It was also his fifth home run in August so far, a month that confirms the extraordinary power streak the 26-year-old player is experiencing.
With 28 home runs, Vargas became the third third baseman for the White Sox —among those who played at least 60% of their games at third base— to reach that number in a season of the 21st century.
Before him, only Todd Frazier had accomplished it with 40 home runs in 2016, and Joe Crede with 30 in 2006.
In the last century, two emblematic names of the franchise also broke that barrier: Robin Ventura, with 34 home runs in 1996, and Bill Melton, with 33 in 1971.
The 2026 season has marked a significant qualitative leap for Vargas compared to his previous years in Major League Baseball.
In 2025, he played 138 games with Chicago and finished with 16 home runs and 60 RBIs; this year, he has already doubled that home run production with weeks left in the calendar.
His overall numbers at the close of this Sunday reflect an elite campaign: an average of .239, 72 runs batted in, 82 scored, 12 stolen bases, and an OPS of .835.
In July, Vargas was selected to the American League All-Star Game for the first time in his career, becoming the first third baseman for the White Sox to receive this honor since Joe Crede in 2008.
In that same All-Star Game, held in Philadelphia, he hit a 433-foot home run that left his name etched in the memories of the fans.
Vargas's home run progression throughout the season has been steady: he reached 24 home runs at the beginning of August, and in less than two weeks, he added four more to settle at 28.
The White Sox finished the game with a record of 65-58 for the season, while the Tigers dropped to 60-64.
With still games left to play, Vargas is just two home runs away from reaching 30 in a Major League season for the first time, a milestone that no Cuban third baseman has achieved with this franchise.
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