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Charlie Morton gives Orioles hope they can salvage lost 2025 season
The Baltimore Orioles are down, but they might not be out.
On Monday, Orioles pitcher Charlie Morton earned a needed quality start following a horrific start to the season, leading Baltimore to a third consecutive win after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-2.
Morton earned his first win of the season, allowing two earne d runs and seven base runners — four hits, two walks, one hit by pitch — in 24 batters faced (six innings) with five strikeouts.
Morton began his outing with a four-pitch strikeout of Cardinals left fielder Lars Nootbaar, ending the at-bat with a filthy curve.
Charlie Morton followed the game plan today and got his first QS of the season
— Baseball Unstitched Podcast (@BaseUnstitched) May 26, 2025
6 IP | 4 H | 2 R | 2 BB | 5 K
This was the Mike Elias game plan from the start. Quality Starts from starters and a good offense that takes the lead early pic.twitter.com/BUBRb7dK0v
Morton, like the Orioles, had an awful start to the season. In five starts before being pulled from the rotation, Morton went 0-5 with a 10.89 earned run average (ERA), allowing 25 earned runs in 20.2 innings. Batters reached base at an alarming 43.5 percent rate.
He moved to the bullpen on April 26 and has slowly rounded into form. Over his last eight appearances (two starts), Morton has a 4.14 ERA with a 30.6 percent on-base rate allowed.
"Hopefully I'm on a better track," Morton said afterward when discussing the challenges of his rough start.
Charlie Morton when asked if what he experienced in April was the most challenging time of his long career:
— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) May 26, 2025
"To have the performances that I had ... and to have the game just kind of slap you in the face, gut-punch every single time, it’s tough."
His full 522-word answer: pic.twitter.com/EGfaE24Rq5
The Orioles (19-34) have been MLB's biggest disappointment, entering Monday with the league's second-worst team ERA (5.54). But perhaps they've found the right track, too.
Their upcoming schedule should allow them to stay on the rails.
Baltimore has two more games at Camden Yards against the Cardinals, who are 11-16 away from Busch Stadium. Afterward, it plays the American League's two other last-place division teams, the Chicago White Sox (17-37) and the Athletics (23-31), who are 1-9 in their last 10 games.
The Orioles also travel to Seattle for a three-game series against the AL West-leading Mariners (29-23), who play at T-Mobile Park, MLB's most pitcher-friendly ballpark. (h/t Baseball Savant)
Baltimore has a long way to go to salvage what's been a miserable 2025. It certainly will take more than one quality start from Morton.
But for a team that was in free fall, the Orioles' three-game winning streak might be a sign that they've begun the long climb out from rock bottom.
More must-reads:
- Orioles' Dylan Carlson homers to down former club Cardinals
- The Orioles’ Pitching Situation is Worse Than You Think
- The 'AL and NL Rookie of the Year award winners since 2000' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Call-ups for top Tigers prospects not likely to come soon
Some of baseball’s top prospects have made their MLB debuts within the last week, but don’t expect any of the Tigers’ top minor leaguers to be appearing in 2025. In an interview with MLB Network this past week (hat tip to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press), Tigers GM Jon Greenberg said a call-up of shortstop prospect Kevin McGonigle is likely not “on the radar right now,” and Greenberg also downplayed the possibility of Max Clark or Josue Briceno arriving in the majors. “They’ve only been in Double-A for a month. It’s been fewer than 30 games,” the GM said. “Really excited with what Kevin has done, really excited with what Max has done, and some of the other guys in our system. But right now, the focus is on their development and getting the reps to continue to take those steps forward.” MLB Pipeline and Baseball America each rank McGonigle as the second-best prospect in baseball, Clark ninth, and Briceno also in a prominent top-100 spot (Pipeline has him 32nd, BA 54th). As Greenberg noted, none of the group has much experience even at the Double-A level, though McGonigle and Clark have both been on fire at the plate since their call-up. While it seems like a further promotion to Triple-A could be possible before the 2025 season is through, any of these top prospects would very likely have to further excel in Toledo, and then the Tigers would have to feel confident enough to install any of these rookies right into the extra pressure of a postseason push. There isn’t much urgency for Detroit to make such an aggressive prospect promotion, as the Tigers have a 10.5-game division lead and look to be cruising towards the AL Central crown. More from within the division… A rotator cuff strain sent Cole Ragans to the injured list in early June, but the Royals southpaw seems to be making good progress towards a late-season return. Manager Matt Quatraro told MLB.com’s Anne Rogers and other reporters that things went “really well” during a 30-pitch bullpen for Ragans on Thursday, which was Ragans’ fourth pen session. The next step is an “up-down” session today. Since Ragans will surely need at least couple of minor league rehab outings as the final stage of his recovery process, it would seem like the second week of September would be the absolute earliest Ragans might be able to return to the K.C. rotation. While a timeline is still very fluid, getting Ragans back would be a late boost to a Royals team that has won 14 of its last 22 games to surge back into the wild card race. The White Sox called catcher Korey Lee up from Triple-A yesterday, creating what is technically a bit of a logjam since Kyle Teel and Edgar Quero are already both on the active roster. However, manager Will Venable told reporters (including Vinnie Duber of the Chicago Sun-Times) that having a third catcher available gives the Sox the ability to have both Teel and Quero in the lineup at catcher and DH, without worrying that an injury would leave the team short-handed during a game. Naturally the White Sox want to see as much as they can from both Teel and Quero in their rookie seasons, as the former top prospects both appear to be key pieces of Chicago’s rebuild, even if there’s still a lingering question about who will eventually emerge as the regular catcher.
Dallas Stars lock up one of the league's best players with massive extension today in hockey history
The Dallas Stars have had many defining moments in their history, but few symbolize loyalty and leadership like Mike Modano's contract extension in the early 2000s. On August 21, 2003, the Stars officially locked up their franchise icon with an extension that cemented his role as the face of hockey in Texas. The move wasn't just about keeping a superstar forward, it was about keeping the identity of the Stars firmly tied to one of the most respected players in the game. Mike Modano's extension showed his loyalty and lasting impact on the Dallas Stars At the time, speculation lingered about whether Modano might test the waters elsewhere. Instead, he reaffirmed his commitment to Dallas, the franchise that had drafted him first overall back in 1988 when they were still the Minnesota North Stars. "This team, this city, it means everything to me. Staying here was the only choice that felt right," Modano said during the press conference announcing the deal. Those words resonated with fans, as his decision represented stability during an era when star players often left in search of bigger contracts. The extension also ensured that Modano would continue climbing the NHL record books in a Stars uniform. He went on to become the all-time American-born leader in goals and points, a record that defined his Hall of Fame career. Looking back, the August 21 signing stands as a cornerstone moment in Dallas Stars history. I think it was one of the smartest moves the franchise ever made, keeping Modano in green not only secured wins on the ice but also preserved a legacy that still inspires players today.
Pat McAfee has strong reaction to Hall of Fame honor
Former punter Pat McAfee is receiving an honor that is rare for a special teams member. On Friday, West Virginia announced that McAfee was one of six players entering the program's Hall of Fame for the 2025 class. McAfee is thankful for the recognition from his former school. He used some strong language to react to WVU's reveal. "It was nice to have an opportunity to think back and reminisce about a great era of my life," McAfee posted on X. "I am so thankful for the recognition. This is normally something I would try and f------ hate.. I’d say that it’s b------- and they feel obligated to do this but; this call made my soul feel good. Thanks for the opportunity to be a Mountaineer @RealCoachRod.. it was an honor." McAfee was a highly productive specialist at West Virginia, earning First-team All-American honors in 2008. During his time with the Mountaineers, he set the school record for most games played (51), scoring (384) and extra points made (210). He held the Big East record for most extra points made, when he made 210 of 212 attempts. McAfee's success at West Virginia propelled the Indianapolis Colts to select him in the seventh round of the 2009 draft. He earned All-Pro honors in 2014 and made the Pro Bowl in 2014 and 2016. He has the highest career net average in punting years with 41.1. McAfee should be proud of his achievements during his days in college and the legacy he is building with the program. The ESPN pundit even used his influence to speak with WVU athletic director Wren Baker to help with the coaching search that ultimately brought back Rich Rodriguez to the school.
Bengals have major PR blunder over invite to former player for Ring of Honor ceremony
The Cincinnati Bengals do not have the best reputation when it comes to their willingness to spend money. They have been regarded as one of the cheapest teams in the league over how much they are willing to pay players, over their front office, coaching, scouting staff and for pretty much anything else that comes with running a professional sports franchise. Now, one of their all-time greatest players is putting them on blast for the way they invited him to the team's Ring of Honor ceremony in October. Former quarterback Boomer Esiason revealed on his radio show on Friday that his invite to the Oct. 26 ceremony wasn't exactly one that made him willing to jump up and rush back to Cincinnati. Instead of a personal invite, Esiason revealed that he received a form-letter email that he had to RSVP with for the ceremony, two tickets to the game with the opportunity to purchase more on his own and a group rate for a hotel that he would have to book himself, while also providing his own transportation. Here is the entire story from Esiason. On one hand, the common fan is not really going to understand his gripe here, and he might even come off as a little entitled. Maybe spoiled. Maybe even something of a jerk. But, is he wrong when you consider the context? The context being, he is a former professional athlete who is already in the Bengals' ring of honor and a player who made significant contributions to the franchise. He is one of the top quarterbacks -- and players -- to ever suit up for the team. Usually, teams go out of their way to roll out the red carpet for those players and bring them back for events like this. At least, that is probably the type of treatment players are accustomed to from multi-billion-dollar professional sports teams. Could Esiason afford his own plane ticket and hotel room? Could he buy his own tickets to the game? Absolutely. He was a starting quarterback in the NFL for over a decade and is one of the highest-profile radio hosts on the top sports talk channel in the country. He's probably doing fine financially. A trip to Cincinnati probably is not out of his budget. Still, it's the lack of effort from the Bengals that really stands out here, and it's not a great look for a franchise that doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to spending money. Yeah, Esiason can afford it. But so can the Bengals. And if they wanted him — and any other player — to show up, they could at least make it worth their while and a little easier for them. This story also caught the attention of former Bengals running back Corey Dillon, who delivered his own shot at the team on social media. Tough look all around for the Bengals to have former players — all-time great players for the franchise — calling them out.
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