Braves Rookie Reflects on Relationship with Charlie Morton

The return of Charlie Morton to the Atlanta Braves dugout has allowed for a few reunions. An under-the-radar one is the reunion between him and rookie starting pitcher Hurston Waldrep.

Morton was his designated pitching coach during Spring Training in 2024, and he continued to support Waldrep during his first MLB call-up last season.

“I threw a live AB, and he came out and watched,” he said. “Me, him and the trainer sat there, and I didn’t say a word. I saw there and listened for probably 30 minutes, just listening and talking to them, and when I got called up last year, he was very encouraging.”

The connection goes deeper. Waldrep, who grew up in Georgia as a Braves fan, was excited to see Morton initially come to the team from that perspective back in 2021. He said he had been watching him a little during his time with the Astros, which made it cool for the Braves to pick him up.

Heading into Morton’s second tenure with the Braves, he was coming off a third-place finish in the Cy Young Award voting in 2019 and appearing in the World Series in 2020, both with Tampa Bay. It builds intrigue for what he brings to the table. 

In that first season, Morton won the World Series with the Braves and was part of the following success. He brought a consistent presence over four years, giving the Braves at least 30 starts each year. One more could be coming. 

“He’s been in this game in a while, and he’s really good at it,” he said. “So, to have him in the clubhouse and to see the smile on his face and the smile that he puts on everyone else’s face, it’s pretty cool.”

Morton signed with the Braves on Monday and arrived in Atlanta on Tuesday. He’s been available to pitch, but whether or not he gets a start is yet to be determined. The rotation is open for the final series with the Pirates.

Waldrep has wrapped up for the year, meaning there is one fewer potential arm who could pitch this weekend. If Morton does pitch, the rookie pitcher can just take it all in. The next generation can just appreciate, for a moment, the previous one. 

When neither is pitching, the two can play catch-up. Waldrep has established himself as a member of the rotation, and it would make for a good talking point. Having Morton around provides another chance for him to reflect on the season with a veteran, too.

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