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Orioles second baseman Jorge Mateo exited Sunday’s game against the Rays (an eventual 4-3 Rays win) after a very unfortunate accident in the on-deck circle.
Before the bottom of the fourth inning, Cedric Mullins was due to start things off for the Orioles while Mateo was slotted behind him. Mullins was loosening up with his bat when Mateo leaned down to grab something from the ground. Mullins’ bat came down right as Mateo was raising up his head and the bat connected with the back of Mateo’s helmet, possibly even getting some of his head and/or neck. It can be seen here at the top of the video:
After the game, Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told reporters that Mateo is in concussion protocol. This could mean Mateo passes all tests in the next few days and is cleared to return to action or it could mean an indefinite stint on the 7-day concussion injured list.
Mateo, 28, has been mostly serving as the Orioles’ everyday second baseman. He’s hitting .246/.294/.447 with 12 doubles, a triple, three homers, 13 RBI, 19 runs, 10 stolen bases and 1.4 WAR this season.
Should Mateo miss any time, the Orioles could stick with Ramón Urías — who replaced Mateo Sunday — on a temporary basis. They could also delve into Triple-A and give top prospect Jackson Holliday another shot. We’ll find out more in the coming days, but if this is a short-term absence, expect Urías to be the fill-in.
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