Atlanta's offseason decision to move on from starter Charlie Morton wasn't a popular one among Braves fans. Already, the franchise was losing Max Fried to the Yankees and knew ace Spencer Strider wouldn't be able to return until deeper into the season. Giving up Morton as a reliable innings-eater was a painful decision. Not only did you lose Morton's reliable production, but you also lost yet another piece of the 2021 World Series team.
Morton signed a one-year $15-million-dollar deal with the Baltimore Orioles. A decision that is looking wise early on for Atlanta as the veteran has struggled. Rarely do pitchers age as gracefully as Morton has and it appears that perhaps Father Time is finally catching up with the right-hander. Morton has allowed nine earned runs in 8.1 innings pitched in his first two starts with Baltimore.
While Still Early, Braves' Decision to Let Charlie Morton Walk is Aging Well
Two starts are an incredibly small sample size and with a pitcher as accomplished as Morton, it is far too early to give up. However, there isn't anything cheap about the offensive production against Morton with teams squaring up the veteran and tallying 13 hits through 8.1 innings to go along with three walks.
While the Braves are searching for answers in their current rotation after the loss of Reynaldo Lopez, moving on appears to be the right choice. This isn't a knock against Morton, who has had an incredible career and will forever have a home in Atlanta. Morton is forever immortalized in Braves history based on what he meant to the franchise throughout his entire tenure, with one moment standing out.
Morton throwing 16 pitches on the World Series stage with a broken leg is the definition of gritty. A player who had helped will the Braves to the final test to win it all for the first time since the 1995 season wasn't going down easily. Charlie Morton is a great Brave. However, there is no denying that at this moment, it appears the team dodged a bullet by choosing to let Baltimore pay the starter for the 2025 season.