Ildemaro Vargas Sets Venezuela Hitting Streak Record With 27-Game Run

CHICAGO -- Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ildemaro Vargas extended his hitting streak to 27 games on Friday, breaking the major league record for a Venezuela native. Vargas singled back up the middle in the first inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Vargas' career-best streak dates to Sept. 26, and his 24-game streak to start this season is a franchise record. The 34-year-old journeyman added an RBI single in the third. Vargas has been one of baseball's biggest surprises so far this year. He was batting .378 with six homers and 20 RBIs going into the weekend series against the Cubs. The switch hitter has already matched his career high for homers, set in 2019 during his first stint with Arizona. He is nearing his career best of 31 RBIs for Washington in 2023. Vargas was a .249 hitter with 20 homers and 145 RBIs in 458 big league games coming into this year. "He's paid his dues and he's worked his butt off," manager Torey Lovullo said before the series opener against the Cubs. "He's learned how to play the game at a high level, and it's all paying off for him." Vargas had been tied with Wilson Ramos for the record for a Venezuela-born player. Ramos had a 26-game hitting streak for the New York Mets in 2019. Vargas also snapped a tie with Paul Goldschmidt for the second-longest hit streak in franchise history. Luis Gonzalez holds the record at 30 games from April 11 to May 18, 1999. Vargas' 24-game streak in 2026 is tied with Tony Womack (2000) for second on the single-season franchise list, trailing Gonzalez.