Jorge Mateo DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

MASN's Roch Kubatko reports that Baltimore Orioles infielder Jorge Mateo (elbow) will not be ready for Opening Day this year. Mateo had UCL reconstruction on his left (non-throwing) elbow last year and will not be ready in time when regular-season games kick off at the end of March. The 29-year-old is reportedly doing well in his recovery, but the O's will play it safe with him and will hold him back from playing in Grapefruit League games initially. The Dominican infielder stole 30-plus bases in each of the 2022 and 2023 seasons with Baltimore, but he ended up playing in only 68 games last year, and his stolen base numbers dipped to just 13 in 208 plate appearances. Speed is obviously Mateo's biggest fantasy asset, but when healthy, he's just not going to see enough playing time in Baltimore to make him worth a roster spot in 12-team mixed leagues.

According to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com, Baltimore Orioles infielder Jorge Mateo (elbow) is not expected to be "100 percent" during spring training. Kubatko noted that he has begun ramping up but could be in danger of not making the Opening Day roster, given his injury. Mateo underwent UCL reconstruction surgery in his non-throwing arm and was only able to appear in 68 games last season. During this stretch, the 29-year-old posted a .229/.267/.401 line with five home runs and 13 stolen bases. Under the hood, he generated a poor .271 xwOBA. He saw most of his starts at the keystone but did log a handful of starts at shortstop and outfield. In 2023, Mateo posted a .217/.267/.340 line with seven home runs and 32 stolen bases. When healthy, fantasy managers should expect Mateo to operate as a depth option in the Baltimore infield.

According to the team, the Baltimore Orioles and infielder Jorge Mateo have come to an agreement on a one-year deal with a club option for 2026 to avoid arbitration. The 29-year-old infielder is still recovering from a UCL surgery on his non-throwing arm and could potentially be limited during spring training. Last season, Mateo was deployed as a rotational piece and appeared in 68 games. Across this stint, Mateo posted a .229/.267/.401 line with 14 doubles, five home runs, and 13 stolen bases. In 113 games at the major league level in 2023, Mateo swiped an impressive 32 bags with a .217/.267/.340 line. Fantasy managers should expect Mateo to have a similar role in 2025. He could be worth a look in AL-only formats, given his upside for stolen base production, as he placed in the 99th percentile in sprint speed last season.

Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias said that infielder Jorge Mateo (elbow) might not be fully ready for the start of spring training in mid-February but should be ready to play close to a 162-game season in 2025. Mateo had UCL reconstructive surgery on his left (non-throwing) elbow last year, causing him to be shut down for the remainder of the season. It sounds like the 29-year-old Dominican should have close to a full season next year, although his fantasy appeal will be limited in a utility infield role in Baltimore. Speed is the biggest attraction with Mateo, as he had 30-plus stolen bases in both 2022 and 2023. He was able to play in only 68 games in 2024 in his third full season with the team, finishing with a .229/.267/.401 slash line, below-average .668 OPS, five home runs, 18 RBI, 13 stolen bases and 30 runs scored in 208 plate appearances.

Baltimore Orioles general manager Mike Elias said that right-hander Grayson Rodriguez (lat), relief pitcher Felix Bautista (elbow) and infielder Jorge Mateo (elbow) will all be more or less full-go for the start of spring training next February. Rodriguez carries the most fantasy relevance of the trio as a high-end starting fantasy arm when healthy. The 24-year-old strained his right lat in early August and ran out of time to build his arm up and was unavailable in the Wild-Card series against the Royals this week. Rodriguez also missed some time with a shoulder injury in 2024. Bautista was a first-time All-Star in 2023 and saved 33 games, but he missed all of 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery. When healthy, he should return as Baltimore's closer next year. Mateo had UCL reconstructive surgery on his left elbow in late August. If he returns fully healthy in 2025, he should settle into a utility role yet again for the O's.