4 Orioles who've already proven they don't belong on the roster after May 1

The Baltimore Orioles are off to a challenging start that has them sitting at the bottom of the AL East. Not exactly where they envisioned themselves, but also far from a death sentence this early. The division remains a gauntlet, but also will be one of the most unpredictable in baseball. That unpredictability gives Baltimore a narrow window to steady the ship before the standings start to pull itself apart.

Expectations were high entering the year. The Orioles had momentum and a young core to build off of. The Red Sox opened their checkbook, the Blue Jays continued to load up, and the Yankees are angling at returning to the World Series for the second straight season. Simply put, there’s no room for a slow start in this division — and Baltimore is already playing from behind.

What’s made things more frustrating is that some of the Orioles’ early-season struggles stem from players who just haven’t delivered. Their presence on the roster is starting to raise eyebrows, and patience is already beginning to run out. Let’s take a look at the names who are making Baltimore’s climb back up the standings a steeper one than it needs to be.

4 Orioles who've already proven they don't belong on roster after May 1

UTIL Jorge Mateo

Deserving or not, Jorge Mateo’s roster spot would’ve been in question if not for the injury to Gunnar Henderson. Instead, the Orioles were forced to thrust the 30-year-old back into his usual utility role, filling in around the diamond and offering lineup depth in a pinch. Known primarily for his elite speed, Mateo has long teased potential but has yet to deliver sustained offensive production — and the patience in Baltimore is wearing thin.

The Orioles are now entering their fifth season waiting for Mateo’s bat to catch up to his tools, but outside of a breakout 2022 campaign — where he posted 3.7 WAR, hit 13 home runs, drove in 50, and stole 35 bases — the production just hasn’t followed. He remains a legitimate weapon on the basepaths, but that's about all he's offering at this point. Through his first seven games this season, Mateo is just 0-for-11 with four strikeouts and three stolen bases.

His speed is valuable, but it no longer justifies a roster spot on a team trying to contend — especially with no minor league options left. That’s the real dilemma. The Orioles can’t send him down without exposing him to waivers, and it’s likely that another team would take a flier on his athleticism. A DFA could result in a total loss, and while a trade might be the ideal solution, his current form won’t exactly generate interest.