REVEALED: Why Braves shouldn’t pick up Charlie Morton’s option
The Atlanta Braves have some decisions to make this offseason.
Some of those decisions will be about whether a player should pick up a club option to prevent him from becoming a free agent, or whether they should pick him up and not let him walk.
One player will be a member of the starting rotation: Charlie Morton.
If the Braves decide to exercise his club option, Morton will be owed $20 million through the 2024 season. The deadline is 5 days after the end of the World Series.
Seth Carter of House Built by Hank explained why the Braves shouldn’t pick up Morton’s club option.
One of the reasons was that he is entering his 40-year-old season next year.
Additionally, Morton’s numbers are said to be on the decline.
“Morton was a hitter when he came to the Astros in 2017,” Carter wrote.
“He had 9 strikeouts and a 10.0 earned run average in 146.2 innings that year.
Ignoring the COVID-shortened 2020 season in which Morton pitched just 38.0 innings, 2023 was Morton’s lowest K/9 since 2017 in Houston.
It’s still good at 10.1, but still the lowest since 2017.
“From 2019 to 2021, Morton’s walks per nine were 2.6, 2.5 and 2.8. In 2022, the walks started trending in the wrong direction with 3.3 walks per nine frames.
The odds of Morton going in 2024 are gone.
There are 9 tables and 4.6.”
This will be a big decision for the Braves.
Over the years, his numbers have dwindled, but he can still tell you his mistakes. Of course, there is the risk of injury as he was unable to play in the NLDS due to a season-ending thumb injury.
In 30 starts, Morton has a 3.64 ERA, 1.427 WHIP, 183 strikeouts and 83 walks in 163.1 innings.
The Braves’ response came after the Fall Classic, which ends Oct.
1.
From 31 to 4 November.
