The Atlanta Braves announced the signing of utility man Jorge Mateo to a one-year contract. According to Francys Romero of BeisbolFR, the deal guarantees Mateo $1 million. Atlanta had recently created a spot on its 40-man roster when José Suarez was designated for waivers and claimed by the Orioles, and Mateo’s addition fills that opening.
The timing of the move appears directly tied to recent injury news involving Ha-Seong Kim. One day earlier, the Braves revealed that Kim injured his hand after reportedly slipping on ice in South Korea. He later underwent surgery in Atlanta to repair a torn tendon in his right middle finger and is expected to miss four to five months, sidelining him for much of the first half of the season.
Kim had been penciled in as Atlanta’s everyday shortstop, with Mauricio Dubón set for a flexible bench role. Kim’s injury abruptly elevated Dubón into the starting shortstop job, a role that may be asking a bit much. While Dubón has appeared in 107 career games at shortstop and logged 721 innings there, he played the position more frequently last season than ever before. Defensive metrics paint a mixed picture: Outs Above Average views him positively, while Defensive Runs Saved rates him slightly below average.
Behind Dubón, Atlanta’s depth at shortstop was thin. Nacho Alvarez Jr. has minor league experience at the position but spent last season primarily at second and third base, and he has yet to establish himself offensively in the majors. Aaron Schunk, signed to a minor league deal, has limited experience at shortstop and has struggled even more at the plate. For a team with postseason aspirations, heading into the season with that group alone was not a viable option.
Enter Mateo. While he is far from a sure thing after two injury-plagued seasons, the shortstop market offered few alternatives. With Bo Bichette signing elsewhere, the remaining free-agent options were mostly veteran utility players such as Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Ramón Urías. Atlanta opted for a low-risk gamble, signing Mateo to a deal just above the league minimum.
Mateo’s recent history has been rough. In July 2024, while playing second base for the Orioles, he collided with Gunnar Henderson on a ground ball and suffered a left elbow subluxation that required surgery and ended his season early. In 2025, lingering elbow inflammation landed him back on the injured list, and a subsequent hamstring strain during a rehab assignment sidelined him for much of July and August. As a result, Mateo appeared in only 111 games over the past two seasons and posted a modest .214/.253/.362 slash line. Baltimore declined his $5.5 million club option for 2026, making him a free agent.
Offense has never been Mateo’s calling card. He owns a career .221/.266/.363 batting line, good for a 75 wRC+, well below league average. If healthy, however, he can still contribute with speed and defense. Mateo stole more than 30 bases in both 2022 and 2023, and even with limited playing time over the last two years, he swiped 28 bags, including 15 steals in just 43 games in 2025.
Defensively, Mateo brings far more shortstop experience than Dubón, with over 2,300 innings at the position. In that time, he has recorded 13 Defensive Runs Saved and six Outs Above Average. He has also played second base, third base, and all three outfield spots, adding versatility to Atlanta’s roster.
Mateo’s presence gives the Braves additional flexibility while Kim recovers. Dubón is the superior hitter overall, though neither profiles as a strong offensive threat. Dubón holds a slight edge in advanced offensive metrics, while Mateo offers more speed. Defensive evaluations are split, with Outs Above Average favoring Dubón and Defensive Runs Saved leaning toward Mateo’s greater experience.
Both players bat right-handed and tend to perform better against left-handed pitching, making a platoon unlikely. Instead, the Braves could let the two compete for shortstop duties during spring training, with either capable of shifting into a utility role. Once Kim returns, both are likely to move into bench roles, though Atlanta knows all too well that injuries can quickly change roster plans.
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