Geraldo Perdomo, Ketel Marte keeping Ildemaro Vargas ‘humble’ during hitting streak

PHOENIX — With a no-doubter home run on Wednesday against the Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks infielder Ildemaro Vargas extended his hitting streak to 17 games this season and 20 games dating back to last year.

Vargas is the sixth player in franchise history with a hitting streak of at least 20 games.

The infielder said he has tried not to think about the streak while it’s happening, although it is impossible to ignore with his teammates enjoying the ride, along with social media and the attention he’s earned.

He has had a couple teammates who have taken it upon themselves to keep him grounded: Geraldo Perdomo and Ketel Marte.

“Ketel and Perdomo, every day when I arrive here at the stadium, they tell me that I have not done anything and I think they keep my feet on the ground,” Vargas said in Spanish. “I keep myself humble, I keep myself working every day.”

“I mean everybody knows how he is right now and he obviously knows because they post it everywhere,” Perdomo said. “But we just try to keep him humble. He’s impressed with what he’s been doing. He’s our best player right now so far, and I’m glad he’s been performing this way because he deserves it.”

The top six hitting streaks in franchise history are:

1. Luis Gonzalez, 30 games (1999)
2. Paul Goldschmidt, 26 games (2013-14)
3. Tony Womack, 24 games (2000)
4. Ketel Marte, 21 games (2024)
5. Danny Bautista, 21 games (2004)
6. Ildemaro Vargas, 20 games (2025-26)

Vargas has the longest active streak in the major leagues and is tied for the second-longest hitting streak to start a season in the past 15 years.

Only Pablo Sandoval’s 20 games for the San Francisco Giants in 2012 was longer.

Vargas saved his streak at the bell on Tuesday with a ninth-inning home run, which he followed with home runs in his first two at-bats on Wednesday.

“The group of teammates, they have been super supportive. The positivity in the room is off the charts. And they’ve seen how much I have grinded in the past to have this opportunity,” Vargas said.

The 34-year-old — who has played 478 major league games across 10 seasons and 1,118 games in the minor leagues in his winding career — has slashed .364/.382/.697 so far this season. The stat line puts Vargas on a heater, as manager Torey Lovullo described it.

“This organization has welcomed him back several times, he’s just, he’s a great piece for a manager to have,” Lovullo said. “He’s on a heater and we’re going to enjoy that run with him, and he’s going to continue to get the opportunity to go out there and perform.”

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