On Wednesday, the Baltimore Orioles announced that infielder Jorge Mateo successfully underwent left elbow surgery and will miss the rest of the season.
Mateo had a left UCL reconstruction with an internal brace and flexor repair performed by Dr. Keith Meister, a leading surgeon in UCL reconstruction based in Arlington, Texas, who also serves as the team surgeon for the Texas Rangers.
This surgery will end Mateo’s season. He was initially placed on the 10-day injured list on July 25 due to an elbow issue and later moved to the 60-day IL five days later, with a return originally expected in late September.
Mateo, 29, has been with the Orioles since 2021 and has been a key contributor over the past three seasons, including during last year’s AL East championship run. Before his injury, he was hitting .229/.267/.401 with five home runs, 18 RBIs, and 13 stolen bases. Over his career with the Orioles, he has a .227/.273/.375 slash line, 27 home runs, 110 RBIs, and 85 stolen bases.
Looking ahead to his potential return in 2025, Mateo can draw inspiration from Bryce Harper and Shohei Ohtani, who both successfully came back from major UCL surgeries. Harper had Tommy John surgery after the 2022 season and returned as a designated hitter by May 2023. Ohtani also had a UCL procedure after the 2023 season and resumed DH duties at the start of the current season. However, Mateo’s value is tied to his speed and defense, which may make his recovery more challenging compared to these power hitters.
The infield also features Ryan O’Hearn, Emmanuel Rivera, Livan Soto, and Ramón Urías.
Today, the Orioles also bolstered their outfield depth by claiming Forrest Wall off waivers from the Marlins and optioning him to Triple-A Norfolk. To make room on the 40-man roster, they designated reliever Dillon Tate for assignment.
Wall, 28, is a left-handed hitter who played in 13 games with the Braves and three with the Marlins this season, with a combined 8-for-32 performance. He has a .272/.354/.401 career line in 10 minor league seasons.
With Tate now off the roster, the Orioles are looking at options to strengthen their bullpen. Nick Anderson, 34, passed his medical review and signed a minor league contract, with plans to pitch for Norfolk soon. Anderson, who has a career 3.18 ERA and 1.093 WHIP over 165 games, adds valuable experience and a mid-to-upper 90s velocity to the bullpen.
Anderson’s notable moments include key appearances in the 2020 playoffs and a controversial decision in Game 6 of the World Series.
