Will Charlie Morton Retire or Return for the Atlanta Braves in 2024?
The Atlanta Braves may consider picking up Morton's $20 million club option in 2024. However, Charlie may have cryptically provided hints that it's time to hang up the cleats.
Why the Braves Will Pick Up Charlie Morton's 2024 Option
The Braves have a club option for $20 million in 2024. As mentioned, Morton will be 40 in November but compared to other big-name 40-year-old pitchers, Morton is a steal at $20 million. Max Scherzer is making more than double Morton's salary and has a higher ERA (3.77 to 3.66) and both have a 3.2 WAR in 2023.
For the price tag, Morton is a great value in 2024. Alex Anthopoulos is not one to pass up a great value. Morton finished 5th in the NL in strikeouts in 2022 and is 10th in the NL in K/9 in 2023. His curveball is still one of the most filthy pitches in the game. The curveball ranks in the 98th percentile in spin rate.
Looking at curveballs with the most movement shows the violence of Morton's breaking pitch. Morton's curveball ranks in the top half in both horizontal movement and vertical movement. Batters are hitting just .179 against his curveball this season with a 42.1% whiff rate.
In short, his curveball is still one of the best in the game.
His fastball has maintained velocity, as well. Morton averaged 92.8 and 92.1 mph in 2019 and 2020, respectively. In 2021 he averaged 94.1 mph, 2022: 93.7 mph, and has averaged 93.8 mph this season. Morton's stuff is still there.
Without Morton in 2024, the Braves will face a lot of uncertainty beyond Fried, Strider, and Elder. As you know, you can never have enough starting pitching (this year being a good example). Bringing Morton back is a no-brainer for the Braves. The question now is whether Morton will want to return.
Will Charlie Morton Retire After the 2023 Season?
Charlie Morton has openly discussed the fact that he is at the end of his career. When the Braves clinched the NL East earlier this month, Morton gave a reflective and almost somber interview where he appeared to indicate that this might be his last division title celebration. He sounded like someone who loved his teammates and was soaking in every moment like it would be his last.
"It never gets old."
— Bally Sports South (@BallySportsSO) September 14, 2023
Charlie Morton and Kyle Wright enjoy another champagne celebrations.@BrandonGaudin and @Kelly_Crull caught up with the Braves right-handers. pic.twitter.com/9Kr4Hp1arQ
Charlie Morton came into the season thinking that he wanted to "go home" after 2024. In a Fangraphs article, Morton was quoted as saying the following:
"That was my mentality, but I can’t have that mentality right now. I’m trying to win a World Series. I don’t want to think about either retiring or keeping going. Frankly, it’s kind of exhausting to think about next year in any shape or form. My attitude is that I’m going to carry the good parts of my year into the offseason. Then it’s up to me."
Morton has a wife and four kids at home and the life of a Major League Baseball player means living on the road for over six months. Both Father Time and time to be a father are major considerations for Charlie as he enters the offseason.
As he said, there will be time to think about 2024 in the offseason. For now, Morton is focused on winning another World Series with the Braves in 2023. So, appreciate Morton while you can.