The Orioles introduced they’ve signed Charlie Morton to a one-year deal. It’s reportedly a $15MM assure for the Wasserman consumer. Baltimore designated catcher René Pinto for task to open a 40-man roster spot.
Morton, who turned 41 in November, joins the sixth crew of his profession in what’ll be his 18th MLB season. The 2-time All-Star has spent the previous 4 seasons with the Braves, the place he mixed for a 3.87 ERA over 124 begins. Whereas Morton’s manufacturing has dipped barely over the previous couple years, he has averted the form of dramatic drop-off one may count on from a pitcher in his 40s.
The righty took the ball 30 instances and labored to a 4.19 earned run common throughout 165 1/3 innings final yr. He reached 30 begins and surpassed 160 frames in all 4 seasons throughout his late-career run in Atlanta. Morton struck out 23.8% of opposing hitters towards a barely elevated 9.3% stroll fee. The strikeout fee was his lowest since his 2017 breakout in Houston however remained a pair factors above the league common for beginning pitchers.
Morton hasn’t misplaced a lot velocity regardless of his age. His fastball averaged 94 MPH final yr, a tick beneath the place it had been for the prior three seasons. His main providing, his curveball, landed at its customary 81.5 MPH on common. Morton continues to generate elite spin and customarily sturdy outcomes towards the breaking pitch. Opponents hit .200 towards the curveball final season.
In mixture, Morton’s 2024 manufacturing was that of a strong fourth starter. He bumped into some bother within the second half, although. Morton allowed 4.37 earned runs per 9 whereas giving up a lofty .279/.357/.469 batting line after the All-Star Break. Morton rebounded in September following a shaky August, whereas his strikeout and stroll marks held regular all through the season.
Atlanta, seemingly working with strict price range limits, by no means appeared fascinated about preserving Morton for a fifth season. There’s annual hypothesis that he may retire, however it grew to become clear final month that he deliberate to return for an additional yr. The Athletic’s David O’Brien has written that Morton needed to signal with a crew that performed Spring Coaching close to his Bradenton, Florida residence. The Orioles qualify. Their advanced is in Sarasota. Morton received’t be as near residence as he’d been in Georgia as soon as the common season begins, however that’s evidently much less of a priority than the Spring Coaching geography.
Morton is Baltimore’s second veteran rotation addition of the winter. His signing comes three weeks after the O’s inked 35-year-old Japanese star Tomoyuki Sugano to a one-year, $13MM contract. Each pitchers venture as sturdy back-end starters at this stage of their careers. The Orioles wanted so as to add to their rotation behind Zach Eflin and Grayson Rodriguez. Sugano and Morton every make sense in isolation, however neither brings anyplace close to the upside they misplaced when Corbin Burnes walked.
The offseason is midway full. Baltimore has been tied to Jack Flaherty, the very best unsigned starter. They’re an apparent match for potential commerce candidates like Luis Castillo and Dylan Stop. There’s no assure that is their remaining transfer. Via the offseason’s first couple months, nonetheless, they’ve shied away from making the form of splash that many within the fanbase anticipated beneath new proprietor David Rubenstein. Along with the rotation acquisitions, they signed outfielder Tyler O’Neill to a three-year deal that assured slightly below $50MM and introduced in Gary Sánchez as a backup catcher/designated hitter on an $8.5MM signing.
Eflin, Rodriguez, Morton and Sugano type the highest 4 in Brandon Hyde’s rotation for now. Dean Kremer tasks because the fifth starter. Albert Suárez, Trevor Rogers, and youthful pitchers Cade Povich and Chayce McDermott are behind them. They’re constructing respectable depth however arguably nonetheless want an affect arm to fit on the high of the workers.
Pinto, 28, was claimed off waivers from the Rays at the beginning of the offseason. He’s out of choices and might’t be despatched to Triple-A with out clearing waivers. His spot on the 40-man roster appeared tenuous after the Sánchez pickup. Baltimore can have 5 days to commerce him or put him again on the waiver wire. Pinto hit .231/.263/.404 in 82 main league video games with Tampa Bay between 2022-24.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com first reported the $15MM wage. Picture courtesy of Imagn.
