Orioles Agree to Deal with Veteran SP Charlie Morton

On Friday evening, the Orioles added a workhorse starter to their rotation. Charlie Morton has agreed to a one-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles worth $15 million, first reported by Jon Morosi of MLB Network.

The 41-year-old Morton is a 17-year big league veteran who has played for the Atlanta Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, Houston Astros, and the Tampa Bay Rays Through 382 career starts, Morton has posted a respectable 4.01 ERA across 2,125 IP.

Last season as a member of the Atlanta Braves, Morton pitched 165 1/3 innings, posting a 4.19 ERA from the third spot in their rotation. In each of Morton’s last four years in Atlanta, he’s thrown more than 163 innings, highlighted by his 2021 campaign, where he posted a 3.34 ERA in 33 starts.

Morton, through his lengthy career, is a two-time All-Star, earning the award during his time with the Astros in 2018 and then with the Rays in 2019. He also has the rings to back up his performance, winning the World Series title with the controversial 2017 Astros and the underdog Atlanta Braves in 2021.

Along with his titles and accolades, Morton’s postseason pedigree is a key asset for the Orioles, who lack significant playoff experience in their rotation. With a 3.60 ERA in 18 career postseason appearances, the veteran righty has proven himself under the October spotlight. Other than Zach Eflin, the Orioles’ rotation before Morton lacked postseason experience and the ability to perform under the bright lights of October, something Morton brings to the table immensely.

In 2024, Morton’s strikeout rate declined to 9.1 K/9, which is still impressive, but that number has fallen gradually from his peak of 11.1 K/9 in 2019 with the Rays (excluding his 2021 and 2022 seasons). Age could be a potential factor in this; however, Morton still has one of the best curveballs in the game, which he throws 42 percent of the time, by far the most used pitch in his arsenal. It held hitters to only a .183 expected batting average with a 34 percent whiff rate. Last year, he recorded 102 strikeouts with the pitch, more than double the amount of any other pitch he threw. His fastball velocity has stayed relatively consistent in the mid-90s.

Being the second-oldest player behind Justin Verlander in MLB has presented very little decline in his performance. His injury history over the last few seasons has been light as well, as he’s gone three years without missing significant time.

Morton is set to join an Orioles rotation, which features two other newly signed right-handers in Zach Eflin and Japanese starter Tomoyuki Sugano, along with tenured Orioles in Grayson Rodriguez and Dean Kremer.

On Sunday morning, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that the Orioles are still exploring ways to improve their starting rotation beyond Charloe Morton following the departure of their ace, Corbin Burnes, to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The team also remains without a clear starter at the top of the hill come opening day. Eflin or Rodriguez are intriguing options that could become the default No. 1 on the staff come the beginning of the regular season if no more moves are made. 

With a total of $86 million spent this offseason, the Orioles are looking to remain competitive in the challenging AL East as they aim for a third-straight postseason berth in 2025.