The Baltimore Orioles have bolstered their starting rotation for the 2025 season by adding veteran right-hander Charlie Morton on a one-year contract. The deal is valued at $15 million, according to sources close to MLB.com.
Morton, 41, brings a wealth of experience with 17 seasons in the big leagues. Throughout his career, he has pitched for the Braves (2008, ‘21-24), Pirates (‘09-15), Phillies (‘16), Astros (‘17, ‘18), and Rays (‘19, ‘20). Over 382 career starts, he holds a 4.01 ERA in 383 games.
Last season, Morton posted a 4.19 ERA across 30 starts for Atlanta, pitching 165 1/3 innings. During his recent four-year stint with the Braves, he recorded a 3.87 ERA in 124 starts, with a standout 2021 campaign that featured a 3.34 ERA in 33 starts. Morton consistently threw over 163 innings in each of those seasons.
Morton is a two-time All-Star, earning the accolade with the Astros in 2018 and the Rays in 2019. He also captured a World Series title with Houston in 2017 and Atlanta in 2021.
In addition to his postseason success—boasting a 3.60 ERA in 80 innings across 18 playoff games—Morton remains one of the top curveball pitchers in the game. He threw the pitch 42 percent of the time in 2024, holding opponents to a .183 expected average with a 34-percent whiff rate. Morton recorded 102 strikeouts with his curveball alone last season, more than double the amount from any other pitch.
The Orioles have now signed a pair of right-handed starters this offseason, previously adding Japanese righty Tomoyuki Sugano on a one-year, $13 million deal. Morton and Sugano will join a rotation featuring Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez, and Dean Kremer.
Baltimore also has additional depth with options like Albert Suárez, Chayce McDermott (O’s No. 5 prospect per MLB Pipeline), Brandon Young (O’s No. 18 prospect), Cade Povich, and Trevor Rogers.
With the departure of 2024 rotation ace Corbin Burnes to the D-backs, the Orioles will look to Morton and other returning pitchers to lead the staff. Whether Eflin or Rodriguez steps into the role as the top starter will depend on how the season unfolds.
In addition to Morton and Sugano, the Orioles have added outfielder Tyler O’Neill and catcher Gary Sánchez this offseason, bringing their total spending to $86 million.