Dodgers option Miguel Vargas & Bryan Hudson, reinstate Yency Almonte from paternity list

The Dodgers opened their All-Star break on Sunday by optioning Miguel Vargas to Triple-A Oklahoma City after slumping badly at the plate for the last six weeks. Also optioned was pitcher Bryan Hudson, the latter making room for Yency Almonte, who was reinstated from the paternity list.

Vargas since the beginning of June is hitting just .146/.273/.293 with a 57 wRC+, and lost playing time recently to Mookie Betts, who started six of the last 13 games at second base, and three out of four games in a stretch last week.

Manager Dave Roberts on Friday said sending Vargas to the minors was in the conversation.

“There’s a piece of winning here, and there’s also a piece of getting his mind where he needs to be. He’s never struggled like this,” Roberts said. ““If it comes down to that, it’s always healthy to have that conversation for young players that are struggling. It would be for the benefit of him, short-term and long-term.”

With Vargas sent to Triple-A, that opens up a spot for Chris Taylor, who is expected to be activated from the injured list on Friday when the Dodgers open a weekend series against the Mets at Citi Field in New York. Taylor played left field in a rehab game in the Arizona Complex League on Friday, and is playing shortstop on Sunday evening with Low-A Rancho Cucamonga in one final tuneup.

Almonte and his wife Tori welcomed their first child on Thursday, a son named Kyson Jrue.

Almonte this season has a 5.15 ERA and 4.51 xERA in 38 games, with 36 strikeouts and 16 walks in 36⅔ innings. He’s been better of late, with a 1.45 ERA and 2.65 FIP in his last 19 games, with 23 strikeouts and only six walks in 18⅔ innings.

Hudson appeared in one game with the Dodgers in his second major league stint this year. He allowed a run on two hits in 1⅔ innings on Saturday against the Angels, with one strikeout.