Orioles sign veteran Charlie Morton to  million contract

Orioles sign veteran Charlie Morton to $15 million contract

The Orioles add a 17-year MLB veteran to their rotation.

Baltimore signed right-hander Charlie Morton to a one-year contract on Friday, the team announced.

The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed the deal is worth $15 million.

The move comes a week after the Orioles lost top player Corbin Burnes to the Diamondbacks when he moved to Arizona in a $210 million deal despite the team making a “competitive offer” to keep him, the reported Baltimore banners.


Charlie Morton
Charlie Morton joins the Orioles on a one-year deal. Jason Scenes/New York Post

While the Orioles probably won’t get the production in Morton that they got from Burnes – a former Cy Young winner – they are getting someone who has been a reliable arm.

Outside of the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Morton has thrown at least 146 innings every year since 2017, leading the majors in games started in 2021 (33).

In his age-40 season with the Braves last year, Morton still threw 165 1/3 innings with a 4.19 ERA and 4.46 FIP, along with 167 strikeouts.

FanGraphs projects him to throw in the 154-inning range next season, something the Orioles could desperately use after their staff was decimated by injuries in 2024.


Charlie Morton #50 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the third inning against the Kansas City Royals at Truist Park on September 29, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Charlie Morton pitches in the third inning against the Kansas City Royals at Truist Park on September 29, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. Getty Images

At this point in his career, he relies primarily on his curveball, which ranks in the 83rd percentile of Statcast break-ball-run value and throws the pitch over 42 percent of the time.

Starters Kyle Bradish, John Means and Tyler Wells all suffered elbow injuries last season that required surgery, and Grayson Rodriguez (right lat) missed the playoffs after being injured in August.

With a healthier rotation, the Orioles hope to find greater success in October after being swept by the Royals in the wild-card round.

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