Jorge Mateo News: Club option for 2026 declined

The Orioles declined Mateo's $5.5 million option for 2026 on Monday, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports.

He'll become a free agent after slashing just .177/.217/.266 across 42 contests during an injury-shortened 2025 campaign for Baltimore. The 30-year-old Mateo has an underwhelming .221/.266/.363 career batting line over parts of six major-league seasons, but his speed and versatility should be enough to attract some interest on the free-agent market.