Infielder Jorge Mateo has been the Baltimore Orioles starting short stop since the Orioles acquired him in 2021. Well, was the starting short stop, it seems as those duties will be mostly split by Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg.
Mateo got off to a blazing start to the season and looked like one of the best short stops in the game but when May hit he fell off hard. Mateo has always been an exciting player because of his speed, defense and potential.
Mateo only hit .214 with six home runs in the first half of the season, and those number would be even worse if he did not have a strong April. Plate discipline has always been an issue for Mateo who swings at a lot of balls out of the zone. Plate discipline is something that Henderson and Westburg both excel in.
The Orioles already have a roster crunch with top tier prospects like Joey Ortiz and Connor Norby being stuck at AAA Norfolk. There is a chance that if DFAed that Mateo does not clear waivers as he is a good pinch runner and defensive replacement for a contending team.
Maybe with the Orioles coaching staff some AAA time could fix Mateo’s swing but he has had multiple seasons with the Orioles to work on things.
I think the Orioles best option would be to try to find a trade partner before DFAing Mateo. The Orioles have plenty of infielders able to play short stop and backup the position.
With Ryan Mouncastle being back from the injured list there just will not be room for Mateo after the All-Star break when the Orioles will want an extra pitcher.
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