Written by Rhea Alison, Sports reporter, covering international sports since 2020
Ildemaro Vargas saw his impressive 27-game hitting streak come to an end on Saturday as the Arizona Diamondbacks fell 2-0 to the Chicago Cubs in an MLB matchup. The game took place in Chicago, where Cubs pitchers Shota Imanaga and Ben Brown combined to shut down Arizona’s offense. Vargas, who had been one of the hottest hitters in baseball since late last season, went 0-for-4. The streak mattered because it was the second-longest to start a season in MLB history and had put Vargas among elite company.
A Quiet Night Ends a Historic Run
Vargas never looked fully comfortable at the plate. He grounded out early, then followed with a flyout and another groundout as Imanaga kept him off balance. By the ninth inning, with fans watching closely, Vargas hit a routine ground ball to shortstop that sealed the end of the streak. The crowd reaction was mixed, with Cubs fans cheering the win while others acknowledged the end of a rare run.
Where the Streak Stands in History
The 27-game stretch ties the longest streak since Trea Turner’s run across 2021 and 2022. It also places Vargas just behind Ron LeFlore’s 30-game start in 1976. Within the Diamondbacks’ records, only Luis Gonzalez has done better.
Vargas still leads the league with a .388 batting average, showing his consistency remains intact despite the setback.
