For the first part of the season, it appeared the Atlanta Braves made the right call by not re-signing Charlie Morton, who had joined the Baltimore Orioles in free agency. Morton was off to a rough start, and the Braves’ rotation seemed to be holding up well despite other team struggles. But as the season has unfolded, Morton has turned things around while Atlanta’s pitching staff has taken a step back making the decision to let him go look increasingly regrettable. That sentiment was only reinforced when Morton delivered a strong performance against his former team on Friday night.
Even though the Braves’ offense hasn’t posed much of a challenge lately, Morton was in control, allowing just two runs over 5.1 innings and racking up a season-high number of swings and misses. Atlanta could certainly use his steady presence now more than ever.
Morton’s Value Has Become Clear
Since rejoining Baltimore’s starting rotation in late May, Morton has posted an ERA under 3.00 and has been consistently effective in his last 10 appearances. While the Orioles as a team have been inconsistent, Morton is giving them a legitimate chance to win every five days something Atlanta’s injury plagued and inconsistent rotation can’t reliably do.
Grant Holmes and Spencer Strider have had some bright spots, but beyond them, it’s been shaky. Bryce Elder has struggled, Didier Fuentes seems unready for the big leagues, and injuries to Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Reynaldo López have left the rotation stretched thin.
Atlanta’s starting pitching woes are evident no starter has left a game in line for a win since Schwellenbach on June 28, and he’s now out potentially for the rest of the season. Strider’s June 24 outing is the only other recent example, and the Braves didn’t provide offensive support until after he exited.
While Morton may not maintain his sub 3.00 ERA for the rest of the year, it’s clear he could’ve brought much-needed consistency to Atlanta’s staff. Letting him go is turning into one of several missteps by GM Alex Anthopoulos this past offseason.
