Nats react to Vargas' Heart & Hustle Award
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This story was excerpted from Jessica Camerato’s Nationals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
WASHINGTON -- For a player who spreads cheer and energy with his boisterous greetings and uplifting expressions, two words aptly summed up his presence on Sept. 14: heart and hustle.
Veteran utility player Ildemaro Vargas was presented with the Nationals’ 2024 Heart and Hustle Award during a pregame ceremony. The recognition “honors active players who demonstrate a passion for the game of baseball and best embody the values, spirit and traditions of the game.”
Vargas, 33, has been a constant source of encouragement since he joined the Nats on Aug. 1, 2022.
With trademark phrases that include, “¡Campeón!” (his favorite, since “we are all champions"), “I love my life” and “Today is today, tomorrow is tomorrow” (which is on a sign at his locker), Vargas’ enthusiasm is limitless.
“It means always taking advantage of the opportunities the manager gives you on the team to play happy, play with fun and, at the same time, with respect,” Vargas said. “It means a lot for me to receive this since every day I give the best of me.”
The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA) named an honoree from each team in August. The league-wide winner will be announced in November.
In the meantime, the Nationals shared what Vargas’ heart and hustle means to them.
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Manager Dave Martinez: “No matter what your day’s like, you look at him and he makes you laugh, he makes you smile. He’s been incredible. He’s a great teammate, loves to play the game. … He gives me everything he has every time he’s out there. And even when he doesn’t play, he’s the one guy in the dugout that you can hear constantly chirping … and rooting for his teammates. I really feel blessed that he’s with us, that he’s on this team, and I hope we get a chance to bring him back.”
Joey Gallo: “One of the best teammates that I’ve ever had. Just such a great guy to have in the clubhouse, great player, but also an A-plus dude. Always smiling, always happy, always keeping the energy up for us. If anybody deserves [the award], it’s definitely him.”
CJ Abrams: “He told me to be an All-Star in Spring Training, and we made it happen. He believed in me, stayed positive and helped me get there.”
Kyle Finnegan: “The last out of the game [in a win over the Braves on Wednesday], he fields it and just starts sprinting from third across the field to first base, like he's going to run it to first base. He's got the biggest smile on his face, and it's the last out of a close game -- like everyone should be super intense. He's just like a kid out there playing, just having fun playing the game. I think we all wish we could be a little bit more like him, because he's just so relaxed and he has so much fun playing. It's refreshing.”
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Luis García Jr.: “Everything he does is perfect for us. It’s like the right moment. Sometimes you’re a little bit down, and a couple minutes later you hear, ‘Hey! Hey!’ So I don’t have a favorite moment because everything he does is my favorite moment.”
Jacob Young: “In the dugout, in the locker room before the game, in team meetings, there’s always something he’s bringing to either lighten the mood or move us on. A recent bias is the [Sept. 7] Pittsburgh game. Him being in his jersey at 10:30 [a.m.] for the doubleheader, and the at-bat was who knows what time. Him to walk it off, it’s just Vargy, it’s just what he does. It was awesome to see him be able to enjoy that moment.”
Derek Law: “It's hard not to watch him during batting practice just because he's always doing something. He’s messing around, but he's also getting his work in, too. It’s really funny to me watching the antics that he does. But honestly, it brings the team together. It's like everybody's watching, everybody's laughing, having a good time. You couldn't tell if we lost three or won three in a row, it’s the same vibes always.”
Dylan Crews: “He's an awesome player and an awesome person, too. He's a guy that definitely brings the energy every day, and we enjoy that a lot about him, because some days are better than others. … I love it. It definitely takes a lot of pressure off you as a first-year guy. It keeps everybody on the same page. He keeps the locker room very fun and energetic. That’s what I appreciate about him.”