Many fans expected 2024 to be Charlie Morton's final season with the Atlanta Braves. There was some thought he would let 2023 be his swan song, but Morton decided to return and the Braves picked up his $20 million option.
It was a good decision for Morton to return as he still had some gas left in the tank. However, it was a bit of an inconsistent season. He ended the season with a 4.19 ERA and 4.46 FIP, including 65 walks and 167 strikeouts.
While those numbers aren't the best, he still provided the Braves with 165.1 innings. Considering all of the injuries from this season, that is precisely what they needed from Uncle Charlie.
Most of Morton's struggles came on the road as he carried a 4.74 ERA over 13 games (72 IP) versus a 3.76 ERA through 17 games (93.1 IP) at home.
A lot of his success can be attributed to the use of his curveball, which was 42% of the time. This helped him achieve a groundball rate of 46.3%, which was 13th-best in baseball. Morton also maintained an average velocity of 94.1 mph on his fastball this season, which helped him succeed with the curve so long as the fastball command was there.
It wasn't the best season, but it was also what most fans expected from Morton. There would be no shame in letting 2024 be his final season, ending a great career. Charlie stated in his interview after the Braves clinched a Wild Card spot that the last four years in Atlanta were "so special."
“These past four years have been so special. This is such a special part of my life.”
— Braves On FanDuel Sports Network (@FanDuelSNBraves) October 1, 2024
- Charlie Morton🥹 pic.twitter.com/ybt6NQRseS
Over those four seasons (2021-2024), Charlie has a 45-34 record over 686.1 innings with a 3.87 ERA. He also has a 3.92 FIP, 269 walks, and 771 strikeouts over that timeframe. So, it would be a great end to his career if he decided this was his last hoorah.
However, Braves insider Mark Bowman recently indicated that Morton is leaning towards pitching "at least one more season" despite turning 41 in a few days. He could receive a one-year deal in the $10-15 million range.
That's a lot of money for a starter that may provide inconsistent starts. Charlie has been a great clubhouse presence, however, and that could be something the team finds valuable enough to keep. If they could sign him for $10 million or less, it's a good decision. Anything over that $10 million mark would be a waste.
The team does have an alternative since they traded Jorge Soler to the Angels in exchange for Griffin Canning. Canning is a non-tender candidate, but if the Braves decide to keep him, he's expected to make $5.4 million in arbitration next season. That's a much lower cost for a younger pitcher that the team could use as a backend rotation option.
Surprisingly, Morton may not hang up the cleats yet, but he knows himself better than us. If he believes he can still succeed in an MLB mound, someone will happily utilize his talents for the right price. Will that be in Atlanta? Only time will tell.