Morton plans to continue his baseball career in 2025, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
The 41-year-old has not yet confirmed it himself, but recent reports had suggested Morton was likely to keep pitching next season rather than retire. Morton's strikeout rate fell to 23.8 percent in 2024, which was the lowest it's been since 2015. He still misses bats at an above-average rate, however, and has made 30-plus starts in each of the last six non-COVID seasons. Morton shouldn't have trouble netting a sizable one-year contract, likely from a contender.
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Braves' Charlie Morton: Suffers another loss
Rotowire
Morton (8-10) took the loss Sunday against Kansas City, allowing four runs on five hits and two walks across 4.1 innings. He struck out three.
Morton took the loss for the third time in his last four starts and surrendered four runs for a second consecutive outing. All four runs against the 40-year-old came via the long ball, with Michael Massey lifting a three-run homer in the first inning before Hunter Renfroe notched a solo shot in the fourth. Morton ends the regular season with a 4.19 ERA and a 167:65 K:BB across 165.1 innings spanning 30 starts, and his usage Sunday makes it highly unlikely he would be available in the Wild Card Round should Atlanta make the playoffs.
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Braves' Charlie Morton: Will start Sunday
Rotowire
Morton will start for Atlanta in Sunday's series finale against the Royals, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.
By having Morton start Sunday, Atlanta has the flexibility to start Chris Sale or Spencer Schwellenbach on Monday against the Mets or Tuesday in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series. Morton came away with the loss in his last start against the Marlins on Sept. 20, during which he gave up four runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out three over six innings. Over his 29 starts this season, Morton has an 8-9 record with a 4.08 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 164:63 K:BB across 161 innings.
Morton (8-9) yielded four runs on seven hits and four walks over six innings Friday, striking out three and taking a loss against Miami.
Morton struggled out of the gate and allowed three runs in the first inning. He kept the Marlins off the board for a few frames before allowing another run in the fifth. He threw 64 of 105 pitches for strikes and forced 12 whiffs, including seven with his curveball. Morton has walked multiple batters in seven straight starts, posting a 44:19 K:BB over 40.1 innings during that span. He now owns a 4.08 ERA with a 164:63 K:BB through 29 starts this season. Morton is projected to make his final regular-season start of 2024 in a home matchup against the Mets next week.
Morton did not factor into the decision in Sunday's loss to the Dodgers, allowing one run on three hits and two walks while striking out six over six innings.
Morton blanked the Dodgers through four innings and allowed just two baserunners. They eventually got one in the fifth off a Shohei Ohtani double after the Dodgers opened up the frame with a single and a walk. Morton now has consecutive quality starts for the first time since July and has a 2.68 ERA over his last seven starts. He's now down to a 4.01 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 161:59 K:BB in 155 innings and lines up for a favorable start against Miami later in the week.
Morton (8-8) took the loss Monday, giving up one run on six hits and two walks over 6.2 innings in a 1-0 loss to the Mets. He struck out seven.
Morton put together one of his better efforts of the season in a losing effort Monday. He pitched into the seventh inning for just the fifth time this season and held the Reds to a single run on an RBI double by Ty France in the third inning. The 40-year-old got lit up for eight runs against the Brewers early in August but has bounced back nicely since then with a 2.88 ERA over his last six starts.
