When the Atlanta Braves decided not to extend 41-year-old starting pitcher Charlie Morton after the 2024 season, all signs pointed to retirement for the seasoned veteran. Instead, the Baltimore Orioles added the right-hander to their starting rotation for a cool $15 million.
This season has not went as planned for either the Braves or Orioles and with the trade deadline approaching, it would make sense for the Orioles to trade Morton to a contender looking to add some pitching depth. One potential suitor for a Morton trade just so happens to be a Braves rival, the New York Mets.
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Charlie Morton could potentially get revenge on the Braves if traded
While the Braves offense has been beyond underwhelming in the 2025 campaign, starting pitching is an issue as well. Losing Max Fried and Charlie Morton in free agency did Atlanta no favors, especially now that Spencer Schwellenbach is likely sidelined for the remainder of the year with injury.
Spencer Strider has returned to the rotation and while showing some flashes of his old self, it is appearing that Atlanta had too high of expectations for Strider.
At 12.5 games out of the divsion, the postseason already feels out of reach for the Braves. That is a tough pill to swallow for a fan base expecting to compete for a World Series back in March. As much as that hurts, it would hurt even worse to see Morton go to the Mets and be successful.
Is Charlie Morton a fit with the New York Mets?
Early in the season, Morton was constantly getting absolutely shelled. Baltimore made the decision to experiment with him as a reliever and after that did not go well either, he returned to the rotation and settled in.
The Mets are just a half-game behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East and are looking to make a push in the second half to claim a division title. Pitching is something you can never have too much of and Morton seems like a perfect fit.
For the Mets to acquire Morton, it surely would not take much. The Orioles know that no one will trade highly rated prospects for a 41-year-old pitcher. With Baltimore in last place in the AL East, we could see something as simple as Morton for cash considerations or anything that creates financial leeway for the Orioles to look ahead to 2026.
If this happens and Morton returns to the NL East, Braves fans may need some nausea medication to make it through the rest of the season.