Veteran SP Further Proof Braves Made Right Offseason Move

Left-hander Max Fried has been extremely impressive for the New York Yankees this offseason. The same, though, cannot be said for another former Atlanta Braves starter -- Charlie Morton.

Morton has allowed one run in his last five innings with the Baltimore Orioles. But incredibly, that's only dropped his 2025 season ERA to 8.35. Morton also owns a 6.48 FIP and career-worst 1.882 WHIP too.

Clearly, the Braves made the right decision not to re-sign the 41-year-old.

No matter how Morton pitches the rest of 2025, it will always be a shame the right-hander didn't end his career in Atlanta. Morton was more than solid during his second stint with the team, posting a 45-34 record and 3.87 ERA from 2021-24.

Morton made four starts for the Braves during their 2021 championship run as well. He registered his final appearance of that postseason in Game 1 of the World Series, where he suffered a broke right fibula. Somehow, Morton pitched an inning with the injury.

Last season, Morton was a steady presence for a Braves rotation that dealt with injuries to just about every other starter not named Chris Sale. Most notably, Fried and Reynaldo López missed outings while Spencer Strider sat out nearly the entire season because of elbow surgery. But Morton made 30 starts, posting an 8-10 record and 4.19 ERA.

That, though, didn't stop the Braves from moving on this past offseason. The organization actually found the extra room in the rotation more valuable than having the starting pitcher depth.

How else can one explain Atlanta allowing Morton to leave on a contract that paid him $5 million less than his 2024 salary?

Through almost one-third of the 2025 season, it appears the Braves should have added a bullpen arm. They also should have been a lot more concerned about signing outfielder Jurickson Profar.

But general manager Alex Anthopoulos nailed the starting rotation decisions despite Fried's excellence in New York. With Morton in the rotation, the Braves wouldn't be starting rookie AJ Smith-Shawver, who owns a 1.50 ERA in his last 30 MLB innings.

Atlanta has won each of Smith-Shawver's last five starts as well.

In Baltimore, the Orioles have yet to win a game in which Morton appears. He has lost all six of his starts, and Morton has pitched in mop up duty as a long reliever in four other lopsided losses.

As a starter, he is 0-6 with a 10.22 ERA and 2.068 WHIP. Morton has registered a career high walk rate and home run rate per nine innings. Furthermore, his strikeout rate is down.

Hopefully Morton can turn things around soon. He doesn't deserve to end his career this way.

But the Braves nailed the decision whether or not to bring back their old warhorse in 2025.