You can’t teach fast.
Jorge Mateo possesses speed that teams—and fans—fawn over. It’s the type of speed that makes every ground ball an exciting play, and a skillset that can make a difference late in a close game.
The Orioles knew Mateo was fast when they claimed him off waivers at the beginning of August. The Yankees knew he was swift when they pegged him as their shortstop of the future back in 2016. Oakland knew he was quick when New York sent him in a package for Sonny Gray, and San Diego was aware of the speed when they swapped him for a player to be named later before last season.