The Tampa Bay Rays wrapped up a dominant West Coast trip Wednesday with an 8-4 victory over the Athletics.
Tampa Bay will now carry a nine-game winning streak into its next series, which begins Friday against AL East rival Baltimore Orioles.
However, ahead of their off day Thursday, the Rays made a notable roster signing.
Rays Sign Utility Man
According to baseball reporter Francys Romero, the Rays agreed to a major league contract with 31-year-old journeyman Jorge Mateo.
Sources: Jorge Mateo has agreed to a Major League deal with the Tampa Bay Rays.
— Francys Romero (@FrancysRomero) August 13, 2026
The Atlanta Braves released Mateo last week, and he drew interest from the Chicago White Sox before the Rays ultimately landed him.
This now gives Rays manager Kevin Cash another player who can play all over the field. Mateo can step into a platoon role down the stretch as the Rays continue their World Series pursuit.
Mateo’s MLB Career
Mateo made his debut in 2020 with the San Diego Padres. A year later, in 2021, he joined the Baltimore Orioles, where he spent five seasons.
He signed with the Braves this year and appeared in 65 games, recording four home runs and 11 RBIs across 129 at-bats while hitting .240.
Over the course of his career, he’s slashing .223/.365/.633. He has logged 552 career games across seven seasons and totaled 319 hits, 34 home runs, 132 RBIs and 116 stolen bases.
Rays Right Now
Tampa Bay has taken the Red Sox’s spot as the hottest team in baseball. The Rays are currently 74-46 overall, giving them a significant lead in both the AL East and the American League as a whole.
The New York Yankees sit closest to the Rays at 6.5 games back with just over 40 games remaining in the regular season.
Tampa Bay Rays Sign 31-Year-Old MLB Veteran Ahead of Orioles Series