NEWS: Journeyman OF Ildemaro Vargas has 24-game hit streak, .400 average

The hottest hitter on the planet right now isn’t named Shohei Ohtani or Aaron Judge.

It’s Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Ildemaro Vargas.

Who?

The 34-year-old journeyman is riding a 24-game hitting streak since the start of the season with an MLB-leading batting average over .400 after a 4-for-4 game Friday.

Vargas has become one of the most surprising stories of the 2026 MLB season. The Venezuelan outfielder, who has suited up for five different teams over the past decade, is suddenly playing the best baseball of his life.

His remarkable surge earned him National League Player of the Week honors after a dominant five-game stretch two weeks ago in the midst of his season-long heater.

Not known for his power, Vargas has already clubbed six home runs—matching his career-high for any full season.

The 24-game streak to open a season is the second longest since 1940. The Tigers’ Ron LeFlore had a 30-game streak at the start of the 1976 season.

With a refined approach and newfound pop, the veteran has transformed into Arizona’s most unlikely star, turning a once-overlooked career into a storybook breakout.

Ian D’Andrea on Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; LatinoBaseball.com  illustration