Pitcher Charlie Morton is gearing up for his 18th season in Major League Baseball, but after four years with the Atlanta Braves, he may be exploring new opportunities. According to David O’Brien of The Athletic, there have been no recent contract discussions between Morton and the Braves. While preliminary talks occurred shortly after the postseason, Atlanta has shifted its focus to other needs, particularly in the outfield and pitching.
Morton is open to pitching for another team, although he prefers clubs that hold spring training in proximity to his home in Bradenton, Florida. Potential fits include the Blue Jays, Rays, Yankees, Phillies, Orioles, Pirates, and Tigers.
Last season, Morton played on a $20 million club option, but he may face a pay cut in the current strong pitching market. In 2024, he recorded a 4.19 ERA over 30 starts, with a strikeout rate of 23.8% and a ground-ball rate of 46.3%. Although he showed improvement in ground ball performance, his strikeouts have declined over the past two seasons, down from 28.2% in 2022.
Morton’s velocity and swinging strike rate have also dipped slightly, averaging around 94 mph on his fastball with an 11.4% swinging strike rate. Despite these concerns, he remains a solid pitcher capable of delivering over 150 innings with league-average results. He could land a contract similar to the $13 million deal that Kyle Gibson received last winter.
However, the Braves have been cautious with their finances. After pushing close to the luxury tax threshold in recent seasons, they are currently around $24 million below the base threshold and may seek to reset their tax status. President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos indicated that while they are open to exceeding the tax again for the right opportunity, the Braves’ activity this offseason has been relatively quiet.
So far, they have restructured contracts for Aaron Bummer and Reynaldo López and non-tendered Jorge Soler. They have also made minor MLB acquisitions but have not aggressively sought to retain Max Fried or pursue other high-profile targets.
As the Braves look ahead, they may rely on internal options to fill the rotation after losing both Fried and Morton. Chris Sale will lead the staff following his first Cy Young win, with López and Spencer Schwellenbach positioned as key contributors. However, questions remain at the back of the rotation, with Ian Anderson sidelined since 2022 and other young pitchers struggling with command.
There remains a possibility for Grant Holmes to secure a rotation spot, as the Braves are intrigued by his potential if he can transition from relief to starting duties in spring training. Anthopoulos stated, “We do think there’s significant upside there if he can get a starting spot.” However, he also emphasized that they will continue exploring trade or free-agent options for additional starters.
