Mateo (hamstring) is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk on Wednesday, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Mateo has been on the injured list since early June, first due to left elbow inflammation and then a strained left hamstring, the latter of which he suffered during a rehab game June 29. The veteran speedster should be able to rejoin the Orioles in early September, but Mateo is unlikely to serve as more than a pinch runner and defensive replacement down the stretch as a youth movement begins to take shape in Baltimore.
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Orioles' Jorge Mateo: Eyeing September return
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Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino said Aug. 6 that Mateo (hamstring) has resumed running and appears on track to return from the 60-day injured list in early September, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Mateo was initially placed on the IL on June 10 due to left elbow inflammation, but he sustained a left hamstring strain a few weeks later during his rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk that has significantly delayed his return to the active roster. The utility player has begun to make some strides in his recovery and is "starting to get up to some higher speeds on the ground," according to Mansolino, but a more definitive timeline for Mateo's return from the IL likely won't become available until he's cleared to resume playing in minor-league games.
The Orioles transferred Mateo (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Sunday.
Initially placed on the IL on June 7 due to left elbow inflammation, Mateo was on the cusp of returning before he suffered a significant left hamstring strain during a rehab game with Triple-A Norfolk last Sunday. The Orioles are expecting him to miss two or more months due to the hamstring injury, so his move to the 60-day IL won't affect his return timeline. The transaction opened up a spot on the 40-man roster for catcher Alex Jackson, acquired from the Yankees on Sunday.
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Orioles' Jorge Mateo: Facing extended absence
Rotowire
Mateo was diagnosed with a strained left hamstring Tuesday and is expected to miss 8-to-12 weeks, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Mateo landed on the injured list in early June due to elbow inflammation. However, after he suffered a hamstring injury during a rehab game at Triple-A Norfolk on Sunday, it now seems likely that his absence will extend into September. As a result, Luis Vazquez, who was selected from Triple-A as Mateo's roster replacement, will likely remain with the big club as bench depth for the foreseeable future.
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Orioles' Jorge Mateo: Suffers setback
Rotowire
Mateo (elbow) was pulled from a rehab game Sunday with Triple-A Norfolk due to a hamstring issue, Andy Kostka of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.
Mateo has been working his way back from left elbow inflammation and was participating in his fourth game of a rehab assignment before sustaining the setback. He's expected to undergo further evaluation in the coming days, so be on the lookout for an update on the severity of the injury.
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Orioles' Jorge Mateo: Ramping up activities
Rotowire
Mateo (elbow) told reporters Wednesday that he has participated in all baseball activities and is expected to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Norfolk soon, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Mateo reported to Norfolk on Tuesday while continuing to build back up from left elbow inflammation that caused him to be placed on the 10-day injured list June 10. Mateo sported a .510 OPS with 14 steals, three doubles, one home run and three RBI in 65 plate appearances with the Orioles prior to landing on the IL.
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Orioles' Jorge Mateo: Rehab assignment on tap for Tuesday
Rotowire
Mateo (elbow) is set to begin a minor-league rehab assignment at Triple-A Norfolk on Tuesday, MLB.com reports.
Mateo is entering the final stages of his recovery from left elbow inflammation. The 30-year-old speedster has a chance to rejoin Baltimore's roster before the end of June, but he should be able to return in early July at the latest. Mateo primarily served as a pinch runner and defensive specialist prior to going down, having slashed .180/.231/.279 with one home run, three doubles, three RBI and 14 stolen bases over 65 plate appearances.
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Orioles' Jorge Mateo: Begins baseball activities
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Interim manager Tony Mansolino said Friday that Mateo (elbow) has resumed baseball activities and is nearing a rehab assignment, Jake Rill of MLB.com reports.
Mansolino didn't specify a target return date for Mateo, but a return to baseball activities is still a significant step forward for the 29-year-old, who has been out since early June with elbow inflammation.
The Orioles placed Mateo on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to June 7, due to left elbow inflammation.
Mateo missed the last two games for Baltimore and his absence will now extend until at least June 17. In a corresponding move, the Orioles selected Luis Vazquez from Triple-A Norfolk.
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Orioles' Jorge Mateo: Pops first homer of season
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Mateo went 1-for-1 with two walks, a two-run home run and two stolen bases in Saturday's 4-2 win over the White Sox.
Getting the start in center field and batting ninth, Mateo looked like he might be the latest Baltimore outfielder to land on the injured list when he appeared to hurt his arm in a collision with Heston Kjerstad in the eighth inning. Mateo stayed in the game, however, and proved he was OK by swiping his second bag of the game in the bottom of the frame. That capped a huge performance from the utility player that included his first long ball of the campaign, a fifth-inning shot off Davis Martin, and his first game with multiple walks in over a year. Mateo has started five of the Orioles' last nine games -- three in center field, one in left and one at shortstop -- and he's gone 5-for-17 (.294) over that stretch with seven of his 14 stolen bases on the season.
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Orioles' Jorge Mateo: Swipes two bags across doubleheader
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Mateo went a combined 1-for-4 with a walk, two stolen bases and a run across both games of a doubleheader split against the Red Sox on Saturday.
Mateo began Game 1 on the bench but entered as a pinch runner in the eighth inning, reaching second on a stolen base before striking out in his lone plate appearance in the 10th. He got the start in center field in the nightcap and played a key role on offense, drawing a walk in the ninth inning before stealing second base again and subsequently coming around to score the decisive run on a Dylan Carlson double. Mateo is slashing just .209/.244/.279 on the season with no home runs and only one RBI through 45 plate appearances, but he's been able to make some impact with his speed, notching nine thefts on 10 attempts.
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Orioles' Jorge Mateo: Two steals in first multi-hit game
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Mateo went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases in Sunday's loss to Detroit.
Sunday marked the first multi-hit game of the season by Mateo, who also swiped a pair of bags for the second time in 15 appearances so far. The speedy 29-year-old is still batting just .136 with a lone extra-base hit and one run scored over 22 at-bats, but he does have five steals while seeing sporadic playing time.
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Orioles' Jorge Mateo: Gets start in second game
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Mateo will start at shortstop and bat ninth in Friday's game against the Blue Jays.
Mateo was a somewhat surprising inclusion on the Orioles' Opening Day roster after seeing limited Grapefruit League action as he worked his way back from UCL reconstruction surgery on his non-throwing elbow. He entered Thursday's contest late on defense and will get the start in the second game of the series.
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Orioles' Jorge Mateo: Makes roster after all
Rotowire
The Orioles included Mateo (elbow) on their season-opening 26-man active roster, and he'll be available off the bench in Thursday's game against the Blue Jays.
Just one day earlier, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun noted that Mateo didn't have a locker in the visiting clubhouse at Rogers Centre, which seemed to suggest that the 29-year-old wouldn't be included on the Opening Day roster after logging just 11 at-bats in the Grapefruit League while recovering from UCL reconstruction surgery on his non-throwing elbow. However, Mateo told Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com that he feels ready to play after logging extra at-bats in Florida in recent days, and the Orioles are apparently confident enough in his health, too. Mateo projects to handle a utility role for the Orioles, with most of his starts likely to come against left-handed pitching.
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Orioles' Jorge Mateo: Won't be on Opening Day roster
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Mateo (elbow) will not be on the Orioles' Opening Day roster, Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun reports.
The Orioles had left open the possibility that Mateo could be ready even though he wasn't cleared for Grapefruit League games until mid-March, but the 29-year-old needs a little more time. Livan Soto is expected to fill a utility role while Mateo is out.
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Orioles' Jorge Mateo: Cleared for spring debut
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Mateo (elbow) is starting at shortstop and batting seventh in Sunday's split-squad game against the Phillies, Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Mateo underwent UCL reconstruction surgery on his left (non-throwing) elbow in late August and will be making his first start of spring training. The 29-year-old hasn't officially been ruled out for Opening Day, but manager Brandon Hyde recently said Mateo is unlikely to be available.
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Orioles' Jorge Mateo: Nearing spring debut
Rotowire
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said Friday that Mateo (elbow) could make his Grapefruit League debut soon but remains doubtful for Opening Day, Danielle Allentuck of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports.
Mateo had already essentially been ruled out for the opener, so an injured list stint wouldn't be a surprise. He's making nice progress from UCL reconstruction surgery on his left (non-throwing) elbow, though, and will continue his ramp up in games soon.
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Orioles' Jorge Mateo: Not close to playing in games
Rotowire
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said that Mateo (elbow) went through a full workout Monday but is "still a ways away" from playing in a game, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports.
Hyde said that Mateo "looked great" in the workout, but it does not sound like the Orioles plan to throw him into a Grapefruit League game anytime soon, and perhaps not at all this spring. Mateo is coming back from a UCL reconstruction surgery on his left (non-throwing) elbow. Once healthy, he's projected for a utility role with Baltimore.
