Jorge Mateo has been exactly the kind of weapon Braves have spent years searching for

For years, the Atlanta Braves have struggled to manufacture scoring opportunities with stolen bases. When games were closely contested late in previous seasons, it felt as if the Braves were too home run dependent in order to stage their comeback.

It's part of the reason why fans were so excited when the team announced the hiring of baserunning guru Antoan Richardson. Atlanta's new first base coach already has Austin Riley setting a new career high in stolen bases, and the team overall has moved from near the bottom of the league last season to slightly below the middle of the pack in stolen bases so far in 2026.

With that said, the Braves also have a player on their roster who could steal bases if the local mailman were the first base coach. That player is a rejuvenated Jorge Mateo. The 30-year-old utility man has always been one of the fastest players in the sport, but this season he's filling a new, yet vital role for Atlanta.

Jorge Mateo gives Braves manager Walt Weiss an ace up his sleeve for late game situations

With the Orioles, Mateo was an on-again, off-again starter for a few seasons before injuries and underperformance ended his stint in Baltimore. It was only when Ha-Seong Kim suffered his offseason injury that Mateo landed a big league contract.

To his credit, Mateo took advantage of the early playing time, showing Atlanta he can be more than just injury insurance. No matter how much playing time Mateo earns at shortstop throughout the summer, his 100th percentile sprint speed gives him a skill that is irreplaceable on Atlanta's roster.

Mateo's speed and baserunning prowess grant manager Walt Weiss a weapon the Braves have not had over the past few years. But what about speedster Eli White? Yes, White is indeed similarly fast, but he has never led the league in steals or put up multiple 30-stolen-base seasons like Mateo has. It's the same reason why Mateo has been the first pinch-runner off the bench when both of these speedsters are available.

Additionally, former manager Brian Snitker was not as aggressive as Weiss has been with his pinch-running decisions late in games. Now, when the Braves are trailing by one run late in a game, they have another way to force the issue, rather than hoping one of their stars can launch a home run off a nasty late-game reliever, and we have Mateo to thank for that.

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