Jason Vargas pitched six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts and no walks in his rehab start for the New York Mets Short Season-A affiliate, the Brooklyn Cyclones.
Vargas, 34, has been shelved with a strained right calf since June 20. The veteran left-hander signed a free-agent deal with the Mets in the offseason for a believed-to-be bargain at $16 million for two years.
Vargas retired the side in the first, striking out two Staten Island Yankees, and pitched a perfect second, racking up another punchout.
Jerry Seitz led off the third inning for Staten Island with a leadoff double off of Vargas, the only baserunner the lefty allowed all night.
He set down nine Yanks in order following that extra-base hit, finishing off his sixth and final inning of work by striking out the last two batters he faced.
Jason Vargas has made just nine starts and owns an 8.60 earned-run average and a bloated 1.33 WHIP in 37.2 innings pitched. All signs point to Vargas returning in time for his next turn in the rotation. This effort solidified that hope.
