Vargas claimed off waivers by Reds
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Twins lost first baseman Kennys Vargas off waivers to the Reds on Thursday after he was designated for assignment last Friday when Minnesota acquired outfielder Jake Cave in a trade with the Yankees.Vargas, who came into camp competing for the designated hitter role, was the
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The Twins lost first baseman
Vargas, who came into camp competing for the designated hitter role, was the victim of a roster crunch after the Twins signed fellow first baseman/DH
Vargas, 27, played four seasons with the Twins, hitting .252/.311/.437 with 35 homers and 116 RBIs in 236 games. He played 78 games last season, batting .253/.314/.444 with a career-high 11 homers, 13 doubles and 41 RBIs.
The switch-hitting Vargas didn't get many runs of consistent playing time with Minnesota, and he said earlier this spring he simply wanted a chance to play everyday somewhere, which makes it surprising that he was claimed by a National League team with a star first baseman. The Tigers, Giants, Phillies and White Sox passed on Vargas before he was claimed.
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Camp battles
• Right-hander Phil Hughes solidified his roster spot with a strong outing against the Yankees in Thursday's 2-1 loss, but it'll be in long relief initially. He gave up a run on a solo homer to
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Rhett Bollinger has covered the Twins for MLB.com since 2011. Follow him on Twitter **@RhettBollinger** and **Facebook**.