Pirates right-hander Charlie Morton has undergone Tommy John surgery and will miss the next 12-18 months, the team has announced.
Morton has a 4.65 ERA on the season and hasn't pitched since May 29. Morton enjoyed a breakout season of sorts in 2011, the result of a greater reliance on his heavy sinker. However, his numbers took a dive even before a late-season hip injury.
If the Pirates are to pull off their first winning season since 1992, then they'll need to continue getting top-tier pitching. Morton's injury complicates that goal, as the Bucs lack depth and reliability at the back end of the rotation (they badly need to return Brad Lincoln to the bullpen). Morton had shown signs of reaching the next level, but all of that is on ice for the next calendar year or so.
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