The Tampa Bay Rays have signed infielder Jorge Mateo (HOR-hay muh-TAY-oh) to a major league contract and recalled right-handed pitcher Jesse Scholtens from Triple-A Durham. To make room on the active and 40-man rosters, the club optioned right-handed pitcher Michael Grove and infielder Carson Williams to Durham and designated right-handed pitcher Trevor Martin for assignment. Mateo will wear No. 9.
Mateo, 31, appeared in 65 games with the Atlanta Braves this season, batting .240/.285/.380 (31-for-129) with six doubles, four home runs, 11 RBI, eight walks, 29 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases on 11 attempts. The right-handed batter hit .316 (25-for-79) with eight extra-base hits and 11 RBI across his first 37 games through the end of May, a stretch he concluded by tallying RBI in each of his final four games to end the month, including consecutive games with a home run for the second time in his career from May 30-31 at Cincinnati. His average sprint speed of 30.3 feet per second leads all major league infielders and ranks third overall behind the Athletics Henry Bolte (30.6) and Texas’ Cam Cauley (30.5), according to Baseball Savant. Additionally, Mateo’s average arm strength of 88.3 mph is ninth fastest among major league shortstops.
Since the beginning of the 2022 season, the six-foot, 200-pound infielder’s 16 defensive runs saved are tied for 11th most among major league shortstops despite playing fewer innings at the position than each of the 10 players ranked ahead of him in that span. Mateo has batted .350 (21-for-60) in 18 career games at Tropicana Field, tallying eight doubles, one triple, five RBI, four walks, nine runs scored, and a .907 OPS. It marks the highest career batting average at the ballpark by any active player (minimum 50 at-bats).
The Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native signed with the Braves on Jan. 20, was designated for assignment on Aug. 3, and was released on Aug. 9. He spent the previous five seasons (2021-25) with the Baltimore Orioles after the club acquired him from the San Diego Padres ahead of the 2021 trade deadline. In 2022, Mateo became the third player (fourth instance) in Orioles history to lead the American League in steals after swiping a career-high 35 stolen bases, joining Brian Roberts (2007) and Luis Aparicio (1963-64). He began his major league career by playing 22 games with the Padres in 2020.
In 555 career games spanning seven seasons (2020-26), Mateo has slashed .223/.268/.365 (319-for-1,432) with 77 doubles, 12 triples, 34 home runs, 132 RBI, 81 walks, 212 runs scored, and 116 stolen bases.
