Charlie Morton DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Charlie Morton (illness) was not in camp on Thursday due to an illness. Morton could miss a few days of spring training while he recovers, but he should be back with the team sooner than later. The 41-year-old veteran is expected to slot in as the team's No. 3 starter behind Grayson Rodriguez and Zach Eflin in his first year in Baltimore after signing a one-year, $15 million deal in free agency. He leaves the tough National League East, but only to join the tough American League East. The two-time All-Star has made at least 30 starts in each of the last six full seasons, so he's been durable and dependable, but fantasy managers should have plenty of reservations after his velocity dropped in 2024, which led to a 23.8% strikeout rate, which was his lowest mark since 2015. There's just not a ton of fantasy upside with him at this point, and RotoBaller has him ranked outside the top-100 starting pitchers.

Free-agent starting pitcher Charlie Morton signed a one-year, $15 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles on Friday evening. The 41-year-old spent the past four seasons with the Atlanta Braves. Last season, the right-hander held a 4.19 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP across 165 1/3 innings. Morton made at least 30 starts in each season during his four-year tenure with the Braves. Under the hood, Morton generated a modest 23.8% strikeout rate with a below-average 4.49 xERA last season. This was a decline from the 25.6% K rate he held during the 2023 campaign. After losing Corbin Burnes to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Morton should have a permanent role in the Baltimore rotation throughout the 2025 season. However, given his declining metrics, he should only be targeted in deeper 15-plus team formats or AL-only leagues.

According to David O'Brien of The Athletic, free-agent starting pitcher Charlie Morton is unlikely to return to Atlanta in 2025. O'Brien noted that the team's interest in the 41-year-old has been "put on the back burner" and that Morton has been open to hearing offers from other clubs. The Braves appear focused on addressing other holes on their roster, especially at corner outfield with Ronald Acuna Jr. (knee) facing an uphill battle to be ready for Opening Day. In addition, the Atlanta rotation already has established options such as Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, and breakout rookie Spencer Schwellenbach. In addition, their ace, Spencer Strider (elbow), will also return to the mound after missing the vast majority of last season due to an internal-brace procedure. Last season, Morton held a poor 4.19 ERA and 1.32 WHIP and should only be viewed as a low-end streaming option in deeper formats if he finds a new home in 2025.