Spurned in attempts to add a starting pitcher in his prime, the Baltimore Orioles opted for the ultimate veteran presence to buff out their rotation.
Charlie Morton, 41, and the Orioles agreed to a one-year, $15 million contract Friday, the club announced, as the two-time World Series champion returns for his 18th major league season.
While Morton won’t automatically slot into his rotation spot, he is ostensibly a replacement for All-Star Corbin Burnes, who signed a $210 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks last month, a salary stratosphere the Orioles weren’t expected to reach.
Instead, for the fourth consecutive year in this window of contention, they’ll spend a similar amount of money on a one-year commitment for a veteran arm. Jordan Lyles (2022) gave way to Kyle Gibson and then Craig Kimbrel in 2024, as the Orioles needed a replacement for injured closer Felix Bautista.
Now, they’ll try to match either the 91 wins they notched with Burnes or the 101 they achieved in 2023. While much of that will have to do with offensive consistency, Burnes’ departure and the midseason or later returns of right-handers Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells from elbow surgery created immediate need.
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Morton, the hero of Game 7 of the 2017 World Series and also a World Series winner with Atlanta in 2021, will try to fill it. He has a lifetime 138-123 record and pitched 165 ⅓ innings for the Braves last year, posting a 4.19 ERA.