Twins acquire Ildemaro Vargas from Arizona in exchange for cash considerations

Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN – The Minnesota Twins announced today that they have acquired infielder Ildemaro Vargas from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for cash considerations.

Vargas, 29, hit .269 (54-for-201) with 25 runs scored, nine doubles, one triple, six home runs, 24 RBI, nine walks and a .712 OPS in 92 games over four stints with the Diamondbacks in 2019, including making his first Opening Day roster. He was 3-for-20 (.150) in eight games with Arizona this season, before getting designated for assignment on Thursday.

The Caripito, Venezuela native played in the St. Louis Cardinals organization from 2008-14, before being released in spring of 2015. He then played 30 games with Bridgeport in the independent Atlantic League before signing with the Diamondbacks as a minor league free agent in May of 2015.

The 6-foot, 180-pound infielder made his major league debut in June of 2017 and has appeared in 126 career games over parts of four seasons with Arizona (2017-20), hitting .257 (65-for-253) with 33 runs scored, 10 doubles, one triple, seven home runs, 32 RBI, 11 walks and a .674 OPS.

To make room for Vargas on the 28-man roster, the Twins will make a corresponding roster move at a later date.

Additionally, the Twins have reinstated C/INF Willians Astudillo from the 10-day Injured List and optioned him to the alternate training site. Astudillo appeared in 58 games for the Twins in 2019, hitting .268 (51-for-190) with 28 runs scored, nine doubles, four home runs, 21 RBI, five walks and a .678 OPS.

The Twins player pool is now at 60.