Charlie Morton, at age 39, is near the end of a resurgent regular season, and not surprisingly, the Atlanta Braves have had cursory discussions about exercising his $20 million option for the 2024 season, according to industry sources.
The Braves have not finalized this decision, and Morton hasn't officially declared that he wants to pitch another year. But the right-hander has had a good season, restoring some sharpness to his breaking ball while maintaining his fastball velocity, making the choice almost a no-brainer for the Atlanta front office. He has a 3.42 ERA in 28 starts overall, and in his last four starts in August, Morton allowed one run in 24 innings, with 33 strikeouts. He hasn't allowed a home run in his past seven starts.
Morton, who turns 40 in November, had the career of a journeyman through the 2016 season, working through a series of injuries while bouncing from the Braves to the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Philadelphia Phillies. When the Astros offered him a two-year deal in the winter of 2016-17, Morton earnestly asked some Houston staffers: Why?
But with adjustments to his pitch selection and sequencing, and with improved health, Morton has been one of baseball's best and most durable pitchers over the past seven seasons, generating a 3.50 ERA in 188 starts and ranking 10th in fWAR. He also has an excellent reputation as a thoughtful and welcoming teammate.
The Braves have been notably proactive in contract talks with their players, signing many of their young stars to long-term deals while locking down preferred veterans before they reach free agency. Atlanta concluded its 2023 contract with Morton just before the start of the playoffs last September, and it's possible that an announcement on his 2024 option will occur before the Braves open the postseason this year.
The ninth-oldest player in the majors, Morton has made about $125 million in his career so far. If the Braves pick up his option, as seems inevitable, he'll have made $105 million of that after his 34th birthday.