Vargas (lat) has suffered a setback in his recovery, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports. Vargas has been on the injured list since the beginning of the regular season due to a strained right lat, and his latest setback will require him to restart his throwing progression completely. He won't be eligible to return from the IL until May 23, though it remains to be seen whether he'll be able to return by then.
The Mariners transferred Vargas (lat) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Wednesday. The transaction will clear a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of outfielder/first baseman Connor Joe, who was called up from Triple-A Tacoma. Vargas has been out all season while recuperating from a right lat strain and now won't be eligible to return until late May. It's not clear whether Vargas has resumed throwing or remains shut down.
The Mariners placed Vargas on the 15-day injured list Friday, retroactive to March 24, due to a right lat strain. Vargas threw 77 innings of relief for the Mariners in 2025 and figured to play an important role out of the bullpen once again in 2026. However, his season debut will be pushed back at least two weeks as he tends to a strained lat. Cole Wilcox was called up from Triple-A Tacoma in a corresponding move.