The Cuban infielder Miguel Vargas concluded the 2026 Major League Baseball season with a performance that will be etched in the history books, becoming the fourth third baseman in MLB history to record at least 30 doubles, 30 home runs, 20 stolen bases, and 100 walks in a single season.
The player from Havana, who dons the uniform of the Chicago White Sox, achieved an offensive combination that only three baseball legends had accomplished before: Mike Schmidt with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1975, Chipper Jones with the Atlanta Braves in 1999, and José Ramírez with Cleveland in 2018 — all three are top figures in the history of professional baseball, according to Pelota Cubana.
The final numbers for Vargas in 2026 underscore the magnitude of the achievement: 33 home runs, 31 doubles, 22 stolen bases, 101 walks, 93 RBIs, and 106 runs scored in 157 games, with an offensive line of .250/.363/.474.
Beyond joining that select historical group, the player from Havana also became the first player in the history of the White Sox to achieve 30 doubles, 30 home runs, 20 stolen bases, and 100 runs scored in a single season.
In the context of Cuban baseball, this achievement has an additional dimension: Vargas is only the third player born in Cuba to combine 30+ doubles, 30+ home runs, 100+ RBIs, and 20+ stolen bases in a season, following in the footsteps of José Canseco and Rafael Palmeiro.
The season was marked by individual milestones. In July, Vargas was selected for the All-Star Game for the first time, held in Philadelphia, where he hit a 433-foot home run, becoming the third player from the White Sox to achieve this feat in the event, following Frank Thomas in 1995 and Magglio Ordóñez in 2001.
His selection for the Midseason Classic was part of a historic presence of seven Cubans in the All-Star 2026, the second largest participation of players born on the Island in that event, surpassed only by the eight representatives in 2023.
Throughout the season, Vargas was named American League Player of the Week on at least two occasions, including the week of September 22.
The journey to this achievement began in Havana, where Vargas—son of former Cuban player Lázaro Vargas—played for Industriales before signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017. He made his MLB debut in August 2022, and after his trade to Chicago, he had his first full season in 2025, leading the White Sox with 80 runs scored and 32 doubles.
The 2026 campaign marks its definitive leap into the offensive elite of the American League, where it shares the statistical podium with Yordan Álvarez and Randy Arozarena, consolidating an exceptional year for Cuban baseball in Major League Baseball.
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