Seeing Jorge Mateo crush a 406-foot home run for the Rays might sting, but the Braves made the right call to let him go. Shortly after the trade deadline, he was designated for assignment and then released on August 9th. The team decided to move on because he could not hit consistently enough to stay on the roster.
The Numbers Do Not Lie
Mateo hit a monster shot last night with a launch angle of 31 degrees, but that one hit does not fix his season. From August 3rd through the 16th, Battery Power reported the Braves ranked 29th in wRC+ and WAR at shortstop. They were also last in OBP and wOBA during that same stretch. It was a terrible run for the position, yet keeping Mateo would not have fixed the lack of power at the plate.
His career numbers show a 76 wRC+ with 34 home runs over 1550+ plate appearances. He is a defense-first player who can fill in around the infield, but he is not a long-term solution. Being just this side of replacement-level according to projections is insufficient for a playoff team. He played five consecutive games from June 19-24 and netted only one hit and four strikeouts in 11 plate appearances. From June 30 to July 6th, he grabbed only two singles and six strikeouts in 15 plate appearances. The Braves gave up at that point and brought in Jim Jarvis instead.
Why The Kids Must Play
It is easy to look back and say keep the veteran, but the data shows the Braves were right to pivot. They are going to play Jim Jarvis for now, and he had a 132 wRC+ over 348 plate appearances in Gwinnett. He hit six home runs in Gwinnett, so the team thinks the power is coming along. This is a big picture approach that assumes the Braves can lurch into the playoffs if necessary. Playing the kids is the only way to find out who can actually help in October.
Ha-Seong Kim is still a mystery with a hand injury over the offseason that made him unplayable on his return. He spent time on the Injured List while residing at the Complex and Triple-A Gwinnett. As a 20-million-dollar 26th man, he costs about 19 million dollars more than necessary. Last September’s performance must be reviewed by the Braves, with hopes he replicates that form. Until then, relying on a guy with a 76 career wRC+ is a mistake.
Mateo is unfortunately just another guy who does not fit the future plan. He has a pulse, but his bat was never going to carry this lineup. The Rays picked him up on the 13th, and he has two hits and a stolen base in four games. That is nice for Tampa, but Atlanta needed more than a pulse.
