Jorge

Mateo

The Braves were forced to pivot after presumed starting shortstop Ha-Seong Kim tore a ligament in his hand while falling on ice. Mateo was that quick pivot. The 30-year-old hit just .177 in 79 at-bats for the Orioles in 2025. He still remains a plus baserunner, but his defense at shortstop has also regressed over the last few seasons, so it’s hard to get too excited about this from a fantasy perspective.

Mateo was playing in his 11th game for Estrellas since being acquired from Escogido in exchange for Eguy Rosario, and he’s thus far hitting .333 in 42 at-bats. A free agent after his $5.5 million option was declined by the Orioles, he should be in line for a major league contract this winter, though probably one with a modest pay cut.

Mateo hits the open market after the Orioles decided not to pick up his option for next season. The 30-year-old utility specialist was limited to just 110 games over the past two seasons due to elbow and hamstring issues.

Holliday was scratched from Wednesday’s lineup with knee discomfort, and he will not be in the lineup on Thursday either. With Baltimore already eliminated from playoff contention, it makes no sense for them to put the 21-year-old in the lineup unless he’s 100 percent. Whether or not he makes it back into the lineup this weekend remains to be seen. Jorge Mateo will start at second base in Holliday’s place on Thursday.

Mateo rejoins Baltimore’s bench mix in a super utility role after missing more than two months recovering from hamstring and elbow injuries. He’s unlikely to play enough to make an impact for fantasy managers down the home stretch.

Mateo last played for the Orioles on June 6, when he was shut down because of soreness in his surgically repaired elbow. He then suffered a bad hamstring strain on June 29 while rehabbing at Norfolk, but it looks like he will be back for the final month of the season. He’ll probably replace Luis Vázquez once the Orioles deem him ready.

It’s merely a procedural move as Mateo is going to be sidelined until at least late August with a hamstring strain.

That timetable doesn’t leave much time at all for Mateo to make it back this season. There’s a chance he’s ready to return in late August, but that would be a best-case scenario without any setbacks. The versatile 30-year-old suffered the injury last weekend while playing in a minor league rehab game for Triple-A Norfolk.

Mateo came out of Sunday’s rehab game with Triple-A Norfolk with the issue and it remains to be seen whether he’ll be shut down for a couple days. There should be some clarity on his status at some point later this week. He’s been out since early June recovering from elbow inflammation.

Mateo shouldn’t require more than a handful of rehab games before he’s ready to rejoin Baltimore’s bench mix. He’s been out since mid-June after an on-field collision led to inflammation in his surgically-repaired left elbow.