After Early Struggles, Charlie Morton is Starting to Find His Groove

After a rough start to the 2025 season, 41-year-old Charlie Morton has been dominant in his last seven appearances for the Orioles. In Friday’s matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays, Morton tossed 6.0 innings, allowing six hits and striking out seven without issuing a single walk during his outing.

For an Orioles pitching staff that lost the likes of Corbin Burnes in the offseason, replacing the Cy Young-caliber pitcher seemed impossible. Then comes Morton, the veteran with a long and extensive career in Major League Baseball that spans over two decades.

Some speculated why Morton chose to continue his career after last year, which wasn’t his best with the Atlanta Braves. He posted a 4.19 ERA across 165 innings. However, it’s important to note that Morton consistently pitches an impressive number of innings each season he's pitched.

Morton has struggled in 11 starts for the Baltimore Orioles this season. His 5.64 ERA over 67 innings is less than ideal for the club, which likely expected Morton to keep the rotation afloat.

In those 33 innings across his seven appearances, Morton has posted a 2.43 ERA and a WHIP of 1.23, which is above average in most cases, as the league average in Major League Baseball hovers around 1.30.

Overall, Morton seems to be starting to find his rhythm as the season progresses in each game he has pitched. For a struggling Orioles team that currently sits last in the division at 32-42, any valuable innings they can get from Morton will significantly aid their efforts to dig themselves out of their current predicament.