White Sox add third first-time All-Star, with Peters joining Vargas, Murakami

CHICAGO – Miguel Vargas will not be alone at the upcoming All-Star festivities in Philadelphia.

The White Sox third baseman already has seven of his countrymen from Cuba as part of the American League and National League rosters. But now White Sox teammates Munetaka Murakami and Tristan Peters will be there as well.

Vargas was announced as the team’s lone All-Star last Saturday in Cleveland, as selected by player balloting. Murakami was named as a replacement reserve for the Twins’ Byron Buxton on July 10. Peters was named as a replacement for A's first baseman Nick Kurtz on July 11.

Pitcher Mike Vasil broke the news to both players during pregame meetings, although no magic wand was involved. White Sox manager Will Venable was thrilled for both players.

“I’m a big fan of Vargy and I think it really starts with the kind of guy he is,” Venable said. “The things that he does in the clubhouse, on the field for us, really even before you start talking about the excellent performance that he’s been able to really dial in and tap into this year. He is as good as anybody to represent this club and what we’re about.

“It's really special, very deserving and to be able to have such a productive start to his season,” added Venable of Murakami. “Even missing six weeks, he's recognized for the work he's done and has been able to put himself in a spot to be in the All-Star Game. He's really deserving. We're very proud of him. It's awesome to see."

Murakami also will also compete in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby.

White Sox fans at Rate Field support Venable’s Vargas hypothesis, chanting “M-V-P” from time to time in response to Vargas’ well-rounded on-field excellence. The 26-year-old Vargas has a slash line of .245/.358/.496, a career-high 21 home runs, 19 doubles, 63 runs scored, 59 RBIs, 56 walks against 66 strikeouts and a career-high 11 stolen bases.

Vargas' defense has been solid as the team’s regular third baseman, becoming the first White Sox All-Star at the position since Joe Crede in 2008 and the sixth third baseman overall. Vargas is the seventh Cuban-born player in club history to be selected an All-Star and the first since Luis Robert Jr. in ’23.

With Murakami and his 20 homers gone six weeks due to a Grade 2 right hamstring strain before Friday’s return, Vargas also has stepped up into a more power-packed role. But the one-time trade acquisition from the Dodgers really has the ability to do it all offensively.

“You have all three of those skills and there’s endless possibilities,” White Sox hitting coach Derek Shomon said of Vargas. “Sky is truly the limit.

“He’s walking at an absolutely insane clip again. He does not miss in the strike zone. He’s got real thump to all fields. Yeah, that’s a fun player in the making for sure.”

Even with this treasured individual honor going to Vargas, his focus remained on the White Sox as a team. Vargas, who trailed only Junior Caminero among AL players in the balloting at third, praised his teammates and his coaches for helping him get to this point, for helping him find the joy in baseball again after a rough ’24 where the team lost 121 games and he hit .104 over 157 plate appearances.

Those days have greatly changed for Vargas. But both Vargas and Venable thought their current playoff team, one of the top stories of the ’26 season, should have had more players joining him in Philadelphia — even with the addition of Murakami.

“Yeah, I’m really disappointed. I’m like pissed about it, honestly,” Venable said. “I just think we have so many good candidates. And as good as this team has played, that they’re deserving. At the same time, maybe it’s emblematic of the type of team we have. We always talk about how we’re getting contributions from different parts of our roster. So, I get it.”

Miguel Vargas, 3B
Previous All-Star appearances: First
Something to know: There are two players in Major League Baseball who have at least 15 doubles, 20 home runs and 10 stolen bases. The Nationals' James Wood is one, and Vargas is the other. Wood is a second-time National League All-Star, but Vargas is the lone Minnesota Vikings fan of the two.

Munetaka Murakami, 1B
Previous All-Star appearances: First
Something to know: Although he missed 35 games due to a Grade 2 right hamstring strain, Murakami’s body of work was strong enough to get him selected as an injury replacement. Murakami, who helped bring bidets to the Rate Field home clubhouse, also will be taking part in the Home Run Derby.

Tristan Peters, OF
Previous All-Star appearances: First
Something to know: When Peters hit for the cycle on July 10, he became the third player in at least the Expansion Era (since 1961) to complete the cycle by getting two hits in the same inning.