ST. PETERSBURG -- With Ben Williamson facing a lengthy stay on the injured list, the Rays picked up a more experienced option to fill his role in the infield by signing veteran infielder Jorge Mateo to a Major League contract.
The club announced the signing on Thursday along with a series of roster moves ahead of Friday’s series opener against the Orioles at Tropicana Field, and Mateo was active and available off the bench against his former team on Friday night.
“It's exciting,” Mateo said through interpreter Kevin Vera. “The Rays are a team that looks for players like me that can do a lot of different things, can play a lot of different positions, run, do whatever. I'm just here to do whatever they need and, again, excited for the opportunity.”
Mateo, who will wear No. 9 with the Rays, took the place of infielder Carson Williams, who was optioned to Triple-A Durham. To make room for Mateo on the 40-man roster, the Rays designated for assignment right-hander Trevor Martin. Additionally, Tampa Bay recalled right-hander Jesse Scholtens from Triple-A and optioned righty Michael Grove.
Mateo came on with one out in the bottom of the ninth of Friday's 6-5 loss to the Orioles as a pinch-runner for Jonathan Aranda. He stole third base as part of a double steal with Chandler Simpson, then scored on Junior Caminero's groundout.
Like Williamson, the 31-year-old Mateo is a right-handed-hitting utility man who can play shortstop, second and third base. The Braves released him on Sunday after designating him for assignment last week.
Now, Mateo gives the Rays a more experienced infield option than Williams, who was called up when Williamson was placed on the injured list with a right hamstring strain. Williams, 23, has hit .108 with a .370 OPS in 16 games for the Rays this season.
Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters last Friday that Williamson is “going to miss some significant time.” There are only seven weeks left in the regular season, so it’s possible Williamson could be sidelined the rest of the way.
“Ben was and is a huge part of our club, and I don't think that we could have done much better than getting a guy that has experience playing postseason baseball, that we're pretty familiar with,” Cash said. “He's familiar with us. … It seemed like a pretty good opportunity for him, and definitely, we're grateful that he's here with us today.”
Williamson has played an important role in Tampa Bay’s infield, starting at second base against left-handed pitchers, spelling Taylor Walls at shortstop and coming off the bench to pinch-hit and play defense. Mateo should handle the same responsibilities, giving Walls time off and platooning at second with Richie Palacios while adding an element of speed as a late-game pinch-running option.
“I think he fits us really well,” Cash said. “It's pretty electric speed. Love his defense, and I know from facing him in the past, he can beat you a lot of ways -- with the bat, with the glove and certainly his speed.”
Williamson’s .247/.309/.332 slash line may not jump off the page, but his reliable defense and contact-oriented offensive approach made him a perfect fit for the American League-leading Rays’ roster.
Mateo provides a different skill set, albeit one that should also complement the club well. He has played parts of seven seasons in the Majors. Most of that time came with the Orioles from 2021-25, so he should find plenty of familiar faces in a Tampa Bay clubhouse that already includes former Orioles Cedric Mullins, Bryan Baker and Tyler Wells, not to mention senior advisor Brandon Hyde, his former manager.
“It’s a good thing. It makes things comfortable,” Mateo said. “I’ve also played in this division, so I’ve seen a lot of the same faces here.”
Most of Mateo’s experience has come at shortstop, but he has also played second and third base and all three outfield spots. He strikes out more than most of Tampa Bay’s hitters, but he is a legitimate threat on the basepaths -- no minor matter for a Rays lineup that can wreak havoc with small ball.
Mateo is a career .223/.268/.365 hitter with 34 homers, 132 RBIs and 117 stolen bases in 556 games. His best season came in 2022, when he stole 35 bases, hit 13 homers and totaled 3.7 Wins Above Replacement for Baltimore.
The Braves signed Mateo in January and mostly used him at shortstop while Ha-Seong Kim was injured. Since he was released by Atlanta, Tampa Bay is only responsible for paying him a prorated portion of the league-minimum salary.
Scholtens, 32, was expected to pitch in a bulk-inning role behind opener Steven Matz on Friday night. He pitched well in a similar capacity for the Rays earlier this season, producing a 3.82 ERA in 37 2/3 innings over nine outings from April 8-May 25.
The right-hander spent more than a month on the injured list due to a right wrist sprain and eventually returned to Durham, where he posted a 3.86 ERA with 17 strikeouts and three walks in four starts.