Clint Hurdle has indicated that Pirates right-hander Charlie Morton is more likely to return as a potential starter than as a reliever. The team, however, has not ruled out the possibility of using him out of the bullpen.
Morton, who has been out since Aug. 15 with a sports hernia, appears to be closing in on a full recovery. He threw five innings and 86 pitches in a simulated game Tuesday in Philadelphia. Hurdle and his staff will discuss his future role Monday.
"It needs to be asked," Hurdle told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "The other things with Charlie is the preparation just to go out and pitch. He's not a guy in the bullpen like [Jared] Hughes and a number of others who's going to be ready in nine pitches. It would be a challenge at the end of an inning to get him up and have him ready by the start of the next because he's started for such a long volume of games."
Morton indeed has started all 25 games in which he has pitched this season. He's 5-12 with a 3.84 ERA.