Jason Vargas: Former Mets Pitcher (2007 / 2018 - 2019)

Jason Matthew Vargas was born on February 2, 1983, in Apple Valley California. The six-foot left hander was signed by the Florida Marlins in 2004 as a second-round pick. Vargas originally went to Louisiana State University but transferred out in his freshman year.

Vargas then attended California State University at Long Beach, a school that had 33 major league players come out of it including Evan Longoria, Jason Giambi & 1969 Met Rod Gaspar.

MLB Career: Vargas got to the majors right, debuting in July 2005 going 5-5 with a 4.03 ERA for the Marlins through the rest of the season in 17 games. Overall, Vargas came in eighth in the Rookie of the Year voting. 

In 2006 he began the year with the Marlins, getting his first start of the year at Shea Stadium in the fourth game of the season. That day the Mets scored five runs on eight hits, including a David Wright HR in five innings of work.

After 12 games he was 1-2 with a 7.22 ERA & was sent down to AAA Albuquerque where he went 3-6 the rest of the year. That November he was traded to the New York Mets for Matt Lindstrom & Henry Owens. Owens would pitch three games with the 2006 Mets & Lindstrom never appeared at the big-league level.

Mets Career: At Spring Training Vargas rejoined his old Florida teammates Carlos Delgado; who was the first player to shake his hand when he arrived & his favorite catcher; Paul LoDuca. 

In May of 2007 Vargas was called up to help out the Mets staff after Mike Pelfrey fell to 0-5. He filled in Moises Alou's roster spot when Alou went on the DL. On May 17th, Vargas got a start against the Chicago Cubs at Shea Stadium. He gave up five runs on six hits over seven innings earning no decision as the Mets went on to win it 6-5.

He got sent back down to AAA New Orleans but was called up for a July 3rd start in Colorado. The Rockies beat him up for nine earned runs & eleven hits including HRs by Yorvit Torrealba & Garrett Atkins. It was his last appearance as a New York Met until ten years later. For the rest of 2007 Vargas went 9-7 with a 4.97 ERA in 24 games at AAA New Orleans.

In 2008 he was out the entire season after getting bone spurs removed & then surgery to repair a torn labrum. That winter he was traded to the Seattle Mariners along with Endy Chavez & Aaron Heilman in a three-team trade, as the Mets received JJ Putz, Sean Green & Jeremy Reed.

Post Mets Career: In 2009 he worked his way into the Mariner rotation & by 2010 he made 31 starts as the number two man behind Felix Hernandez. Vargas went 9-12 with a 3.78 ERA & 118 strike outs. 

In 2011 he was 10-13 with three shut outs (3rd in the AL) four complete games (4th in the AL) a 4.35 ERA 131 strike outs in 201 innings pitched making 32 starts.

In 2012 Vargas led the Mariner staff with 14 wins. He was 14-11 with a 3.85 ERA making 33 starts (4th in the league). He pitched over 200 innings for the second straight season as well. In December he was traded to the Anaheim Angles for Kendrys Morales.

In one brief season with the Angels, he was 9-8 with three complete games & a 4.02 ERA. At the end of the season, he signed on with the Kansas City Royals where he won a World Championship & two AL Championship titles.

In the 2014 AL Championship year he was named the teams number three starter & was to be one of four Royals to win eleven or more games, going 11-10 with a 3.71 ERA. He struck out 128 batters walking just 41 in 187 innings of work. 

2014 Post Season- ALDS: In the ALDS win over the Anaheim Angels he got the Game #1 earning no decision in the Royals 3-2 victory. He allowed two runs, both of which were HRs in six innings of work.

2014 ALCS: In the ALCS he earned his first post season career win, beating the Baltimore Orioles in Game #4, finishing off the Royals series sweep. He allowed just one run in five innings, while striking out six.

2014 World Series: In the World Series loss to the San Francisco Giants, Vargas started the 11-4 Game #4 loss giving up four runs on six hits in four innings of work. He exited the game with his team still up 4-2.

After starting out 2015 going 5-2 with a 3.98 ERA, he had to leave a July 21st game with an injury to his throwing arm. It ended up being a UCL in his left elbow requiring Tommy John surgery. He missed the rest of the year, the world series & most of 2016.

In 2017 he returned 100% and won his first three starts. In those three starts he pitched 14 innings allowing just one earned run with 23 strike outs, walking just two. 

He was 12-3 with one of the league's best ERA's (2.22) at the All-Star break, earning him a spot on the AL All Star team staff.

He struggled in the second half, losing five of six games in August into September. He then won four straight in September to finish the year with career high in wins (18) which was the most wins in the American League. 

He was 18-11 with 134 strike outs, 58 walks & a 4.16 ERA in 179 innings in 32 starts. He is also a good fielder posting a perfect 1.000% for the second time in his career, best in the league.

Return to the Mets: In February of 2018, the Mets gave him a deal worth $16 million over two years with a third-year option. He was reunited with his KC pitching coach Dave Eiland.

But his return to the Mets was another part of a dismal season. He broke his hand in March & missed the first month of the season.

He made his first start on April 28th in San Diego. It was a debacle, allowing nine runs on  nine hits in four innings of work. On May 3rd he surrendered six runs to the Atlanta Braves in an 11-0 Mets loss. He started out at 0-3 with an ERA of 13.86.

On May 21st he got his first win, a five-inning shutout performance at Citi Field against the Miami Marlins. He closed out May with another five inning shutout, this one in Atlanta over the Braves. In June he made three starts all resulting in losses. He landed back on the DL returning at the end of July.

He fell to 2-8 before winning three straight games at the end of August. In that time, he gave up just three earned runs in 12 innings, lowering his ERA below seven for the first time all year. Overall, he won five of his last six games to end the season.

On September 27th, he had his best start of the year, seven shutout innings with six -strikeouts, in a win over the Braves at Citi Field. Vargas ended the year at 7-9 with a 5.77 ERA. with 84 strikeouts & 30 walks in 92 innings of work.

2019: To begin 2019, he was penciled in as the Mets fifth starter. He pitched their fifth game of the year, earning a win over the Marlins in Miami. He made an April 9th relief appearance, serving up four runs in an inning, in a Mets 14-8 loss to the Twins.

On April 13th, he was rocked for four runs on two hits & three walks, never getting out of the 1st inning. His ERA was at 14.21. He allowed one run against the Cardinals but got no decision. Vargas gave up just one run in three straight starts but got two no decisions & a loss to the Phillies as the Mets were shut out 6-0. 

In May his bad luck continued, he went 0-2 although he gave up just one earned run in two of three starts. On June 5th, he threw a complete game shut out over the San Francisco Giants, striking out eight in a 7-0 Mets win. Another win followed in the subway series, to get him to .500 at 3-3.

Drama with Reporter: On June 21st he earned no decision in a 5-4 Mets loss at Wrigley Field. After the game in the locker room, he got into a confrontation with a Newsday reporter & threatened to punch him out. The Mets fined Vargas $10,000 for his actions.

Vargas took losses in the subway series & in Miami falling to 3-5. As the Mets began to win, Vargas reaped the benefits inning three straight games. But he was not in the Mets plans at 6- with a 4.01 ERA he was traded to the Phillies at the end of July.

He went 1-4 with the Phils posting a 5,37 ERA. On August 31st, the Mets rocked him for five runs on four hits as he took the loss in Philadelphia. He was granted free agency after the season & was still unsigned in January 2020.

Career Stats: In his 14-year career Vargas was 99-99 with 13 complete games & eight shut outs. He struck out 1147 batters with 508 walks in 1643 innings & 277 games making 277 starts.

Family: Vargas married his high school sweetheart Shelly & they have three children.