Cubs Free Agent Target: Charlie Morton |
With just over a month to go until pitchers and catchers report, the pressure is on Jed Hoyer to make some noise to improve this roster. Trading for Kyle Tucker was a massive step in doing that, but with Matthew Boyd and Carson Kelly being the other two notable additions, it still feels like an empty offseason.
That vibe can all change should the Cubs get Roki Sasaki, but if he chooses someone else, the Cubs need to make sure they have a backup plan. While it's unclear what the backup plan is, all signs point to Jack Flaherty landing with the Cubs on a multi-year deal worth close to 25 million per season. You could put that in the category of the Jameson Taillon deal three years ago, and given what Flaherty showed last season, adding him to the rotation would be a massive upgrade. As much of a fit as he makes for this team, Hoyer has always had difficulty spending money on starters, even if they are worth the money. Keep in mind that Flaherty will be looking for a multi-year deal and with Cade Horton, Jordan Wicks, Javier Assad, Ben Brown, and several other young arms still in the Cubs system, they may not want to add a long-term option if it blocks one of these guys. Still, Hoyer is adamant about adding another starter to the back end of the rotation and looking at the free-agent market; many options remain. One option overlooked all offseason would be a nice short-term option in Charlie Morton. Anytime you go after a pitcher north of 40, there is a cause for concern, as Morton will be approaching 42 years old next season. Despite that, he has shown no signs of slowing down and has been a reliable force in the Braves rotation for several seasons. Since breaking into the majors in 2008, Morton has had various successes, most of which have come from the past seven seasons. He has posted a 138-123 career mark with an ERA of just over 4.00 at 4.01. Until the 2017 season, Morton only had one double-digit win season, which came in 2011 as a member of the Pirates when he went 10-10 with a 3.83 ERA. Then came the years of struggles and injuries before his career took a turn for the better in 2017. As a member of the Astros that season, Morton was not only a vital part of the Astros regular season, going 14-7 with a 3.62 ERA, but he was one of the better pitchers in the postseason that year. He followed that up by going 15-3 in 2018 with the Astros before landing a multi-year deal with the Rays. Morton continued to produce in his first season in Tampa, going 16-6 and lowering his ERA to 3.05. The ERA and wins were career-best marks for Morton as he aged like a fine wine and got better. Then came the COVID season, when Morton was limited to just nine games, his final season with the Rays. Before the 2021 season, Morton signed a three-year deal with the Braves and then re-upped on a one-year deal last season. Since joining the rotation, Morton has been a reliable option in Atlanta and one of their more consistent starters, as he went 14-6 with a 3.21 ERA in his first season. That was the first of two 14-win campaigns with the Braves; the second one came in 2023. Last season wasn't his best effort in terms of success, but he still gave the Braves the consistency you look for in the back of the rotation arms. Across 30 starts, Morton gave the Braves 165 innings of work and posted an 8-10 record. His 4.19 ERA was elevated from his 2023 mark but wasn't a cause for concern. At this stage of his career, Morton is looking to make it one season at a time, and should the price be right, why not add a proven veteran to the back of your rotation who can still get it done? Although he may not have the 97-99 MPH velocity he once had, he still sits in the 95-96 MPH range, which is very good for a pitcher north of 40. Morton mixes in a change-up and a lethal breaking ball as he continues to display the ability to overpower hitters. Adding Morton would be a last resort for the Cubs and their fans at this point, but considering how the Cubs' back of the rotation is set up, he would be an excellent No. 5 for this team.
