Orioles utilityman Jorge Mateo is finished for the yr. Baltimore introduced this night that the speedster required a season-ending restore of the UCL in his left (non-throwing) elbow. He underwent an inside brace process with a restore of the flexor tendon.
Elbow ligament injury is way extra frequent in pitchers. Mateo’s harm, after all, wasn’t sustained on a throw. Whereas taking part in second base on a late July recreation in opposition to the Marlins, he ranged to his proper to discipline a gradual grounder up the center. Mateo dove to attempt to make a backhand cease. On the identical time, shortstop Gunnar Henderson moved to his left and went right into a slide. Henderson rolled up on Mateo’s arm and bent his elbow again at a clumsy angle.
The O’s initially introduced the harm as an elbow subluxation. Mateo shortly landed on the 60-day injured checklist, already ruling him out into late September. He’d hoped to make a late-season return into the playoffs, however that gained’t be potential. Supervisor Brandon Hyde expressed hope that the 29-year-old might be prepared by subsequent Opening Day (hyperlink by way of MLB.com’s Jake Rill).
Mateo is now not an on a regular basis participant, however his velocity and talent to play anyplace in the midst of the diamond would’ve made him a key bench piece going into the postseason. The O’s misplaced budding star third baseman Jordan Westburg to a hand fracture shortly after the Mateo harm; he’s out into September. Jackson Holliday is again within the majors because the on a regular basis second baseman. The highest prospect hasn’t struggled to the extent that he did throughout his first MLB look. Nonetheless, his .221/.280/.442 slash line since his most up-to-date recall is under common. Westburg’s harm pushed Ramón Urías again into the lineup on the scorching nook. Urías had an underwhelming begin to the yr however has considerably quietly run a .273/.343/.511 line because the All-Star Break.
The O’s are carrying Emmanuel Rivera and Livan Soto as backup infielders. Neither has the velocity that Mateo brings to the desk. Mateo doesn’t hit for a excessive common or take many walks, however he has double-digit residence run energy and is a continuing menace on the bases. He topped 30 steals in every of the final two years and was 13-15 this season. Baltimore simply claimed outfielder Forrest Wall off waivers from Miami, maybe with a watch in direction of carrying him as a delegated pinch-runner in October.
Mateo is heading into his last season of arbitration eligibility. He’s taking part in this yr on a $2.7MM wage and may land within the $3-4MM vary if Baltimore tenders him a contract for 2025. Whereas Mateo has appeared like a commerce or non-tender candidate for the previous couple offseasons, the O’s have held him for greater than three years.
