Charlie Morton sure sounds like a man in his last year with Atlanta Braves

Atlanta Braves pitcher Charlie Morton will be 40 years old this season with the majority of his baseball career behind him. Morton has been a key member of the Braves rotation ever since he signed in 2021, and had perhaps his best season in Atlanta just last year with a 3.64 ERA.

Still, Morton showed some signs of fatigue and slowed down a bit in the stretch run. While Alex Anthopoulos chose to exercise their club option on Morton, thus bringing him back for 2024, it wasn't always such a sure thing. Morton even flirted with retirement some.

“The offseason is a tricky time,” Morton said, per the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It’s like you get home and you get into that lull. Now you’re a full-time dad and husband. You need that time to unplug so you’re not the ballplayer anymore at all. You’re just dad and husband.”

Morton claims his wife expected Atlanta to bring him back for at least one more year, while his kids are "ready for me to go home and stay home.”

How much does Charlie Morton have left in the tank for Braves?

Morton admitted that last year, he tried to take it all in with the thought that it may have been his final season in the big leagues. One can only imagine that feeling is even stronger in 2024.

“I think going into last year, I was viewing last year certainly as a possible last season,” Morton said. “I’m like looking around like, ‘Man, I better try to take this all in.’ I don’t think I need to be present with that mentality anymore...I think I’ve been so fortunate."

Morton has four kids at home and has made a killing as a big leaguer. He's not Hall-of-Fame caliber, sure, but he's had one heck of a career. At some point, he'll have time to reflect and think about his future outside of baseball. Spending time with his family full-time is at the top of his to-do list.