Jorge Mateo

A four-game series between the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox opened Friday night with a relatively harmless bench clearing in the second inning after pitcher Michael Kopech hit Orioles shortstop Jorge Mateo with a 99 mph fastball to the back. Kopech had a 1-2 count when he nailed Mateo...

CHICAGO - Jorge Mateo homered and doubled to lead the Orioles over the Chicago White Sox 6-2, giving Baltimore its first four-game winning streak this season. Lance Lynn retired eight straight batters before Mateo lifted a solo homer just over the left-center fence to put Baltimore ahead in the third.

Mateo went 0-for-2 with a walk, a hit-by-pitch, two stolen bases and a run scored in Friday's 4-1 win over the White Sox. Mateo has gone a poor 3-for-30 over his last 10 games, but he's still found a way to rack up five stolen bases in that span. The shortstop is up to 19 steals in 22 attempts this year. The weak hitting lately has dropped his season slash line to .196/.241/.311 with four home runs, 16 RBI and 20 runs scored in 65 contests overall.

Mateo went 0-for-2 with a stolen base during Sunday's 2-1 win over the Rays. Mateo wasn't able to generate much offensive production during Sunday's low-scoring matchup, but he stole his 17th base of the season. The 26-year-old has hit just .063 with an RBI and five strikeouts over the last five games, but he ranks third in the majors with 17 stolen bases to begin the season.

Mateo is not in Sunday's lineup against the Royals. He is 2-for-25 with 12 strikeouts in nine games this month. While Mateo is a strong defender, he could lose out on everyday playing time if he can't get out of this slump. Richie Martin is starting at shortstop and batting ninth.

Mateo went 1-for-3 with a stolen base and a run scored in Thursday's 7-5 loss to the Royals. Mateo has now hit safely and scored a run in back-to-back games since snapping an 0-for-13 skid to start June. The shortstop also picked up his first steal since May 28 in the third inning. He's posted a .212/.242/.352 slash line with four home runs, 15 RBI, 16 runs scored and 14 stolen bases through 52 games this year.

Mateo went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in Tuesday's 9-3 win over the Cubs. Mateo's second-inning blast would be all the offense the Orioles needed, giving them a 5-1 lead at the time. He had gone 0-for-13 in his first five games in June prior to the long ball Tuesday. The shortstop is up to a .210/.240/.352 slash line with four homers, 15 RBI, 15 runs scored and 13 stolen bases through 51 contests.

Not every player that takes part in a full-scale rebuild is created equal. For every Chance Sisco or Pat Valaika there is a Jonathan Villar and a José Iglesias. But for those players that do find success it is normal to wonder if that player is part of the solution, or just the best of a subpar bunch.

Mateo went 1-for-4 with a double and a stolen base in a 4-2 win over the Red Sox in Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader. Mateo sat out Game 1 for rest, but he was back in the lineup at shortstop for the nightcap. The shortstop picked up his fourth steal in his last 11 games, swiping third base after a third-inning double. His 13 steals this season trail only Julio Rodriguez for the major-league lead. Mateo is slashing .208/.244/.336 with three home runs, 12 RBI, 14 runs scored, eight doubles and a triple in 157 plate appearances.

Mateo went 1-for-5 with a three-run home run during Friday's 12-8 win against the Red Sox. Mateo came to the plate with two on and one out during the seventh inning, and he delivered with a three-run home run to start the comeback and bring Baltimore within three runs. Despite hitting his third home run of the season, the 1-for-5 effort dropped the 26-year-old's average to .207, and he's also struck out 15 times in his past 10 games.

Mateo went 1-for-4 with a stolen base in Tuesday's 7-6 extra-innings loss to the Yankees. The pilfer moved Mateo into a tie with rookie Julio Rodriguez for the major-league lead in steals with 12. Mateo hasn't made much of a fantasy impact this season otherwise, slashing .213/.252/.324 through 39 games with two homers, nine RBI and 13 runs while mainly hitting toward the bottom of a lackluster Baltimore lineup.

Mateo is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Yankees, Nathan Ruiz of The Baltimore Sun reports. He'll cede shortstop duties to Chris Owings as the Orioles begin a seven-game week with a three-game set in New York. Mateo is getting a breather after a rough weekend series against the Rays in which he went hitless in 14 at-bats, bringing his season average down to .212.