Jorge Mateo got the start at shortstop again on Friday, giving the Braves their third lineup look in as many games at a premium position that has not settled yet. He made the case for more chances, too, going 1-for-4 with two runs batted in, two runs scored, a stolen base and a highlight-reel defensive play against Elly De La Cruz in Cincinnati.
That is why Mateo’s name is drawing attention now. He started at designated hitter on Tuesday in Boston after having only two at-bats in a nine-day span, then kept the bat in the order as the Braves kept rotating shortstops. Over his last three games, Mateo is 5-for-12 with a double, three RBIs, three runs scored, a walk and a stolen base, and he has struck out only once. He is also hitting.319 across the 35 games he has played this season, with seven stolen bases and a run scored in 57% of those games.
Manager Walt Weiss called the shortstop situation day to day on Friday, and that is the reality behind the recent starts. Atlanta gave Ha-Seong Kim $20 million to be its everyday shortstop, but he is 4-for-42 and has struck out 13 times in 12 games while still working back from an offseason finger injury that delayed his season. Kim did not play Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, though Weiss said he had a good work day on Thursday and would get another day or two to keep working.
Mateo’s run matters because the Braves need someone reliable at a demanding spot while Kim sorts himself out. Weiss said Mateo is a talented player who has done a nice job, and Mateo said he has seen this kind of situation before and keeps himself ready. He said his mindset is simple: be ready for the moment, because no one knows what comes next.
For now, that leaves the Braves with a merit-based choice that could change again as soon as the next game. Weiss has not committed to a long-term answer at shortstop, and Kim’s return will have to come on the field, not on reputation.
