The Padres announced this afternoon they’ve designated outfielder Jorge Mateo for assignment. The move clears active roster space for left-hander Matt Strahm, who has been reinstated from the 60-day injured list.
San Diego acquired Mateo from the A’s last June. The former top prospect was out of minor league options, so the Padres had to keep him on the big league club (or injured list) in order to retain his long-term rights. The Friars have kept Mateo on the active roster over the past two seasons, although they’ve never seemed especially eager to give him regular playing time. The 26-year-old has tallied just 121 plate appearances over 79 games, serving mostly as a late-game pinch hitter, pinch runner or defensive replacement.
Mateo’s lack of roster flexibility made him something of an odd fit on a win-now Padres club. He hasn’t shown enough in his limited playing time to force his way into a more regular role, hitting .195/.235/.310 with terrible strikeout and walk rates (31.4% and 2.5%, respectively). That said, the Padres’ front office clearly remained intrigued by his physical gifts and one-time prospect status.
It’s certainly not inconceivable another club will give Mateo a look. He’ll be placed on waivers, and it’s possible a less immediate contender could place a claim and give him more consistent reps than San Diego could offer. Of course, any claiming team would also have to keep Mateo on the big league club or again expose him to waivers.
Strahm hasn’t pitched all season. The 29-year-old has missed the entire campaign recovering from right knee surgery. Last year, he worked 20 2/3 innings of 2.61 ERA/4.24 SIERA ball over nineteen appearances. Strahm will join Drew Pomeranz and Tim Hill as left-handed bullpen options for manager Jayce Tingler.
Long overdue. Mateo will fit nicely with a rebuilding team, give him a crack at it. Many times this year, his roster spot would have been better used with other types of players. Out of options, they held on to him too long.
I see it as a fail. His value to the Pads was as a playoff pinch runner, which is a luxury IF you know you’re a playoff team. They now are resigned to battling foe a wildcard, and have to pull all the stops. I’m guessing he will get picked up by a team that knows it’s going to postseason, like the Brewers, Giants or Red Sox.
Playoff pinch runner is an inefficient usage. That roster spot is better used on a player with a much more likelihood of making a difference. The probability of a pinch runner making a difference is tiny. Minuscule.
Marisnick pick up was an eye towards DFAing Mateo. If Tatis didn’t get hurt, he’d of been DFA’d last week
Oakland should look into getting him back and getting rid of Piscotty
Piscotty is in a weird place right now. If no OFers get hurt, he will stay on as a PH, but if they get hurt and he’s faced with everyday action, they would get rid of him.
I agree with this.
Alright pirates do the right thing here and make Evans walk the plank and bring aboard Mateo in his stead. Just a rational thought from a beleaguered fan
Yep, the Pirates love former top prospects.
Dude’s fast, can make things happen.
Thanks for Frazier!!!
Can’t make anything happen with speed if you can’t get on base.
There should be some cellar-dwellers looking into him.. Give him 6 weeks of everyday play. If he can play, you picked up an asset. If he can’t, you improved your draft choice.
Man.
I remember being so excited about this guy. He lead all organized baseball in steals in ’15. Then he just pretty much stalled out in his development.
Might’ve had a role in the 70’s or 80’s but his type of game is currently not very valuable.
Yea I loved this guy. Exactly the type player would’ve been a favorite of mine growing up in the 80’s. Too bad he couldn’t hit enough to show off his other skills. I been following him since his early Yankee farm days. But I think he’s hit the end of the road, or close to it.
MAAAAteo
I loved chanting “Hip Hip Jorge!” But I only got to do it once since that’s the only time he got on base.
Holy smokes this guy had 82 stolen bases in 2015. Interesting guy to look at for rebuilding teams.
Interesting, but give him a short leash. So far he’s been nothing more than Billy Hamilton-lite, and that’s pretty bad. I’d guess you could just call him a bust now but suppose there’s no harm in a losing team giving him a tryout.
Rangers written all over it
Cubs make sense.
No they don’t. Ortega just hit more HRs in one day than Mateo ever dreamed of.
He can play the infield. He was originally a SS.
Whoever gives him his next shot should be prepared to be disappointed, unfortunately.
At best he plays winter ball and signs a minor league contract with invite to spring training and hope for the best. With the power speed combo he showed thru AAA I could see kbo as a end option and try for a return from there
You say Mateo, I say Matato.
It isn’t bad enough you picked the wrong character from Archer, but now you’re dissing Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers?
He can replace Locastro.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUZEtVbJT5c
agreed
Yikes. Junior Perez (prospect the Padres gave up for Mateo) is ranked #9 in the A’s farm system.
With a .661 OPS I can tell you where he’s not going to be ranked next season…..
Though I’m assuming you grabbed those off of MLB.com bc FanGraphs had him ranked #30 as a 35+ player. So probably not much lost there.
@JohhnyBets67 Nothing gained either
Hopefully the Pirates pick him up. They could give him a shot in LF or 2B. Although Castro has been playing well at 2B. And B.Reynolds has been playing well in CF. But they could move Reynolds back to LF, and use Mateo in CF. I don’t know why Cole Tucker isn’t up getting MLB ABs either. Pirates shouldn’t be giving ABs to Dilfo, Erik Gonzalez or Philip Evans.
I can’t believe Erik Gonzalez has lasted this long. Dunno what the Pirates see in him.
I don’t either. Gonzalez’s only value is his defense. It’s odd the Pirates haven’t DFA’d him in favor of at least trying Cole Tucker. I’m not saying Tucker would be a whole lot better at this point, but Gonzalez has 853 plate appearances and a sub-70 wRC+. Tucker can’t do much worse.
Best of luck to him. Seems like he will land somewhere
By the way, wanna talk exclusive pinch runners?
Charles O. Finley hired a fast dude… Herb Washington.
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/washihe01.shtml
I thought the Pirates should have asked for Mateo and Luis Severino for Cole when they were shopping him.
…yeah.
Great speed, such a shame he didn’t pan out for the Padres. Also, he never got any real playing time so hard to get into a rhythm. Maybe a rebuilding club can give him that and he’ll be a steal. Could see the Rangers, Pirates, Twins, or even the Rockies or D-Backs giving this guy a chance. Seems like ex-Padres love to kill us when they stay within the division.
Would be great if someone gave him a starting job for the rest of the season to give him a real look/chance but I really doubt he’ll do much with it. I kinda think he just is what he is.
I question the timing of this somewhat because I feel like he’s more likely to get claimed now that it’s after the deadline. Rebuilding teams might as well take a flier on him with roster spots that just opened up from selling off.
It’s been apparent for a a couple months that they were eventually going to have to DFA him since he was out of options and wasn’t performing. I guess there’s no good time to slip him through waivers and outright him to AAA but this seems like a pretty bad time for that.
Rangers will probably pick him up. They just picked up Peters the other day and this guy has a similar track record. Plus the Preller relationship with the Rangers makes it even more plausible
Peters had 34 PA of a .382 OBP, .385 SLG, .767 OPS, 112 OPS+ for the Dodgers
Mateo has 121 PA of a .235 OBP, .310 SLG, .545 OPS, 52 OPS+
In fact, Mateo has walked 3 times in 79 games, 121 PA – Peters had walked 8 in 18 games, 34 PA
How are they even remotely similar?
I remember when he was an untouchable super star prospect in the yank system. Him and Blake Rutherford. Not sure what happened.
I think Mateo was always that “he’s so fast and plays prime positions; if he could hit, whoah boy!” type prospects. It blinds scouts to the fact that, no, he can’t actually hit.
Mateo is a pretty solid Cubs fit, if they can get him somewhere close to his old status in the minors he could be a new core player along w/ Madrigal in middle infield.
His minor league stats were never that good. All stolen bases, little more. Players get released for a reason. He’s not going to be part of anyone’s core anything but people can dream.
There’s an OLD expression, “SPEED never goes into a slump”. Jorge Mateo is one of the fastest players in MLB. I wish him well and hope another team gives him a shot.
Speed shmeed. If you can’t hit, you can’t hit.