Jun 1, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Charlie Morton (50) looks on during the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Moving Veteran Starter at Deadline Should be No-Brainer for Orioles

Originally posted on Baltimore Orioles on SI
By Jacob Moss | Last updated Jul 17, 2025 11:00 AM ET

With the 2025 All-Star game now in the rearview mirror, all eyes around the sport have turned towards the MLB Trade Deadline that will be taking place at the end of the month.

One team that has emerged as a prime candidate to sell off at the deadline is the Baltimore Orioles, who are currently in the midst of a nightmarish season.

The O's are currently sitting at the bottom of the table in what's been an incredibly stacked AL East this year, with a 43-52 record, and have no real path back into the playoff picture down the stretch.

This rough road, combined with several expiring contracts, means that Baltimore is sure to be active leading up to July 31, and one name in particular figures to be a very hot commodity.

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This would be veteran starter Charlie Morton, who has quietly been one of the better arms around baseball in recent weeks.

The 41-year-old righty signed a 1-year, $15,000,000 deal with the O's this past winter after spending the prior four years as a member of the Atlanta Braves.

Morton started very poorly on the bump with his new team, but has slowly but surely rounded back into very solid form, dropping his ERA from a high of 10.59 down to the 5.18 mark he currently holds.

Charlie Morton, 3311 RPM Curveball. ️

5 Feet of Drop (on the helmet) pic.twitter.com/ecJLKkuehn
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 20, 2025

In addition to the recent turnaround Morton has put together, the 18-year veteran also possesses a wealth of postseason experience to the table that makes him just the kind of arm contending teams are always looking to add.

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Reports have surfaced that several such teams have already expressed interest in Morton, which could indicate that he is set to have a very active market.

With the value for the veteran seemingly at an all-time high, and his contract set to expire at the end of the year, moving him at the deadline should be a no-brainer for Baltimore GM Mark Elias.

Despite how bad things have been this season, this Orioles squad is still very capable of making a deep run in the next few postseasons.

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As such, any opportunity the front office has to bolster the team further has to be explored, especially when it involves moving on from an aging vet on an expiring contract.

It will be very interesting to see how Baltimore approaches any potential offers for Morton and what type of return they end up getting if he is ultimately traded.

For more Orioles news, head over to Orioles On SI.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Orioles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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