The Braves had three marquee free agents heading into the winter, and all three — Max Fried, Charlie Morton, and A.J. Minter — have since signed with different teams.
Fried signed to a record-breaking contract with the Yankees, which the Braves were never going to match. Minter got a two-year contract worth $22 million with the Mets. The contract contained a player option beyond the first year, which the Brave never do in their contracts.
But more surprising than those, Morton inked a one-year, $15 million free agent deal to join the Orioles, a pact many believe the Braves could’ve and should’ve done. For a durable back of the rotation arm, that’s the going rate, but apparently, the club never offered Morton a deal.
“After spending the previous four seasons in Atlanta, Charlie Morton intended to conclude his career with the Braves. According to David O’Brien of The Athletic, the Braves did not make an offer to the 41-year-old pitcher, who elected to continue pitching rather than retire during the winter.
It’s unexpected since the Braves require rotational consistency, something Morton has provided for years. Multiple reports indicated that the club was interested in bringing the veteran back to Atlanta, so it’s surprising to hear O’Brien claim they never even offered Morton.
Uncle Chuck progressed from a frontline starter, toeing the rubber in World Series Game 1, to a back-of-the-rotation arm who provided steadiness when injuries struck.
He made at least 30 starts in each of his four seasons, totaling 686.1 innings and a 3.87 ERA, but he struggled at times in 2024, finishing 8-10 with a 4.19 ERA in 30 appearances. One thing Charlie Morton understands, and fans should begin to learn, nothing is promised, especially with the Atlanta Braves and Alex Anthopoulos.
“All I know is that nothing manifested with the Braves,” Morton said. “And I’ve been in the game long enough to know that there are myriad factors that could contribute to something like that.
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