The White Sox are in the mix for another roster move, and this one could land them a familiar kind of bench piece: speed, defense, and enough experience to plug a hole when needed. Former Braves infielder Jorge Mateo, who was released earlier this week, is expected to sign soon, and Chicago is one of the teams showing interest.
Jorge Mateo was granted his release by the Braves and is expected to sign soon, with several teams showing interest, including the White Sox and Rays, per sources.
- Francys Romero (@FrancysRomero) August 10, 2026
Mateo is 31 and has already taken a long route through the league. He began as a Yankees prospect, was moved in a couple of deals, and reached the majors with the Padres in 2020.
Most of his big league time came in Baltimore, where he spent four and a half seasons as a backup infielder. He then signed a one-year deal with Atlanta this offseason, but his run there ended after 67 games.
Mateo hit .240 with four home runs and a .665 OPS before the Braves designated him for assignment and released him.
For Chicago, the attraction is pretty straightforward. The White Sox infield is already occupied by Murakami, Meidroth, Vargas, and Montgomery in the four starting spots, so Mateo would not be coming in to force his way into everyday duty.
The cleaner path would be as a replacement for Luisangel Acuna, who has handled backup infield work in recent weeks after getting regular outfield reps to open the season. Acuna has played in 83 games and is hitting .243 with a .550 OPS, though his 16 stolen bases lead the White Sox.
Mateo would give the White Sox a player in that same lane, just with a slightly better track record at the plate. Acuna’s career OPS is .599, while Mateo’s sits at .633. That gap isn’t huge, but Chicago could lean toward the veteran who has been around longer and has already seen postseason baseball.
There’s also another lane here. Mateo could sign a minor league deal and head to Charlotte, where he’d give the White Sox some upper-minors infield insurance.
The organization doesn’t have a ton of depth there, and Chase Meidroth has recently dealt with wrist soreness. Mateo would make sense as a safety net if an infield injury pops up.
Still, with other clubs in the picture, a minor league assignment seems like a tougher sell. Mateo is expected to sign soon, and the White Sox are a team to watch as Chris Getz and the front office keep trying to shape a roster that can get to October.
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