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.