The infielder Miguel Vargas etched his name in the Major League Baseball records this Saturday, becoming the third player born in Cuba to achieve, in a single season, the combination of 30 or more doubles, 30 or more home runs, 100 or more runs scored, and at least 20 stolen bases, according to journalist Francys Romero on his social media.
The Chicago White Sox player, 26 years old, has recorded 33 home runs, 101 runs scored, 31 doubles, and 20 stolen bases in the 2026 season, with an average of .250 and an OPS of .841.
Only two Cuban players had achieved that combination before him: José Canseco, who did it twice with Oakland—in 1988, with 42 home runs, 120 RBIs, 34 doubles, and 40 steals, the first 40-40 season in MLB history, and in 1991, with 44 home runs, 115 RBIs, 32 doubles, and 26 steals—and Rafael Palmeiro, who accomplished it in 1993 with Texas, with 37 home runs, 124 RBIs, 40 doubles, and 22 steals.
Vargas now joins that group of legends as the third Cuban in history to reach that milestone, a achievement that reflects the all-around nature of his season: power, speed, and consistent performance.
The 2026 campaign of the Habanero has been a series of milestones. In July, he was called up for the first time to the MLB All-Star Game, marking his debut in the Mid Summer Classic.
At the end of August, he was leading the American League in runs scored, and on September 1, he tied two historic records of Cuban players, including 85 walks in a season.
On September 15, with 31 home runs, Vargas entered historic territory as the fifth third baseman with the most home runs in a single season in the history of the White Sox, behind Todd Frazier (40 in 2016), Robin Ventura (34 in 1996), and Bill Melton (33 in 1970 and 1971).
Born in Havana on November 17, 1999, Vargas left Cuba in 2015 with his father, former player Lázaro Vargas, and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in September 2017. After making his MLB debut in August 2022, he was traded to Chicago in July 2024 in a three-team deal.
With the regular season still underway, his numbers could continue to rise. As journalist Francys Romero noted when sharing the achievement: "A 2026 for the books."
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