The Atlanta Braves had a decision to make on veteran pitcher Charlie Morton and his whopping $20 million contract option for next season.
In what has to be considered a surprise, Jeff Passan of ESPN reported on Monday that Atlanta has indeed picked up the 2024 option on the soon-to-be 40-year old starter.
This was in no way a foregone conclusion for the Braves given Morton’s pedestrian performance this past season and their depth in the starting rotation.
- Charlie Morton stats (2023): 14-12 record, 3.64 ERA, 1.43 WHIP
That WHIP is alarming in that it’s Morton’s highest total since all the way back in 2011. The veteran had pitched to a 23-12 record with a 3.82 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in his first two seasons with Atlanta after the team initially signed him back in December of 2020.
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Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder, Charlie Morton and Max Fried will be mainstays on the Braves’ rotation moving forward next season. That leaves one spot open for a youngster such as the 25-year-old Jared Shuster or an outside acquisition.
Atlanta also has top prospects AJ Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep ready to fit into the long-term plans. Smith-Shawver saw a cup of coffee in the Bigs this past season, with the 20-year-old pitching to a 4.26 ERA in six appearances (five starts).
Pitching was a major area of concern for Atlanta as it finished the regular season with a MLB-best 104-58 record despite losing to the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Divisional Playoffs. That included ranking in the middle of the pack with a 4.14 team ERA.
The idea of creating stability in the rotation ahead of the start of MLB free agency had to be a goal for the Braves. The hope now is that Morton can bounce back after a down 2023 season by his standards.