White Sox Said to Be Eyeing Jorge Mateo, Raising Questions About Luisangel Acuna

The trade deadline may have ended over a week ago, but the White Sox may not be done adding just yet.

All things considered, the South Siders were slightly less aggressive than some fans had hoped. They made a bold move for struggling starter Luis Castillo before adding reliever Huascar Brazobán, outfielder Brenton Doyle, and catcher Joey Bart. While the four players may bolster the team's depth, it's hard to classify any as a true difference-maker right off the bat. Heck, even catcher Joey Bart has already found himself on the injury list.

There is something to be said about improving around the margins, though. Especially for such a young group, it can't hurt to add players with years of experience to the clubhouse. You never know what wisdom they could bestow or how helpful they could prove to be when the lights get brightest in the Fall.

With that in mind, perhaps we shouldn't be too surprised to learn that another veteran has landed on Chris Getz's late-season radar. The Atlanta Braves are fresh off releasing utility man Jorge Mateo, and a new report says the White Sox could try to make room for him.

Jorge Mateo to the White Sox?

Jul 7, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves position player Jorge Mateo (2) pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the eighth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

According to MLB reporter Francys Romero, the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays are two of the teams showing interest in Jorge Mateo.

The 31-year-old was in his first season with the Atlanta Braves, appearing in 67 games and slashing .240/.285/.380. Atlanta primarily had Mateo filling in at shortstop, though he also played a pair of games at second and several more at DH.

Throughout Mateo's career, however, he's shown the ability to play at several spots. While the middle infield is where he's spent the majority of his days, he has experience in all three outfield positions, with the most in center field.

Speaking of which, we have seen the White Sox rotate through their fair share of outfielders this season. They recently let go of both Everson Pereira and Austin Hays. Tristan Peters has also struggled with his consistency at times, which is likely why the White Sox went out to grab Brenton Doyle. Adding Mateo would give them even more lineup flexibility, especially when considering he could also confidently fill in at second or short upon injury trouble.

With that said, there is a little bit of crossover between him and Luisangel Acuña. Could the White Sox' interest mean they believe Mateo would provide more down the stretch? It's certainly possible, as Mateo has significantly more MLB experience and offers even more positional versatility.

Mateo has been in the majors since 2020, when the San Diego Padres gave him the call. They proceeded to trade him to the Baltimore Orioles one season later, where he remained until signing with the Braves this year. During his time with the Orioles, Mateo appeared in 408 games. This included serving as a regular starter in both 2022 and 2023. During the former season, he finished second in the majors in stolen bases with 35. As for the latter season, he played a part in helping the Orioles return to the postseason.

Again, with Acuña already in town and seemingly a key part of the Luis Robert Jr. trade, it's hard to imagine they completely throw in the towel on the youngster. But the White Sox also have the playoffs to worry about for the first time in years.

A player like Mateo doesn't always reach the market at this point in the year, so adding him could very well prove worthwhile for this inexperienced squad. The fact that the Rays also reportedly want to get their hands on him underscores that point. Few organizations are savier!

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