The Atlanta Braves will enter the 2023 MLB playoffs without an important piece of their rotation. The Braves placed starting pitcher Charlie Morton on a 15-day injured list and expect him to be out through the National League Division Series at least.

Morton suffered a finger injury on his throwing hand on Friday against the Washington Nationals, being forced to exit the game after throwing just 24 pitches. The 39-year-old player was later diagnosed with a right index finger after an MRI exam over the weekend.

According to Atlanta’s manager Brian Snitker, the earliest Morton will return to the mound is the NL Championship Series in case Atlanta makes it there. Morton started 30 games for the Braves in 2023, going 14-12 with a 3.64 ERA and 183 strikeouts.

“We were looking at the calendar, and it’s going to be over three weeks [of recovery],” Snitker told reporters. “So, hopefully, best-case scenario, he could be ready for [the NLCS] if we advance.”

The good news for the Braves is that All-Star lefty Max Fried is expected to be available for the NLDS. Fried is currently on 15-day IL as well after developing blisters on his throwing hand but can be activated just in time for Game 1 of the NLDS.

The post Braves’ Place RHP Charlie Morton to 15-Day Injured List appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Atlanta Braves have been the busiest team on the free-agent market so far this offseason, and they continued with that trend by inking veteran right-handed starter Charlie Morton to a one-year, $15 million deal on Tuesday.

Morton returns to the team that drafted him and that he made his Major League debut with eleven years after they traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of a deal for Nate McClouth.

The veteran righty, who was a staple of the Tampa Bay Rays’ rotation for the past two seasons, had his $15 million club option for 2021 turned down earlier this offseason and became a free agent.

After re-inventing himself over the past four seasons with Tampa Bay and Houston, Morton has become one of the better right-handed starters in all of baseball.

He posted a 4.74 ERA in 2020’s shortened campaign, but has posted ERA’s under 3.70 in three of the past four seasons while winning a total of 47 games.

Morton is set to jump into Atlanta’s rotation as a quality, stabilizing veteran presence in a pitching staff that’s full of young talents. 2019 All-Star Mike Soroka and 2020 standout Max Fried are set to slide in alongside Morton and fellow free-agent addition Drew Smyly next season, along with rookie phenom Ian Anderson.

Expect Morton to be a key part of the Braves’ pursuit of a fourth consecutive NL East title in 2021.

The post Braves Add SP Charlie Morton on 1-Year Deal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Tampa Bay Rays’ general manager Erik Neander confirmed on Friday that the organization declined to exercise the options for the 2021 MLB season on All-Star pitcher Charlie Morton and veteran catcher Mike Zunino’s contracts.

Morton, who is one year removed from an All-MLB Second Team selection, was set to make $15 million according to the option. Zunino, on the other hand, missed out on $4.5 million.

Despite the Rays’ decision to pass on the duo’s options, Neander said that the team remains open to keeping both Morton and Zunino.

“With both of them, the door is staying open. We’re going to continue talking,” said Neander.

The finances of holding out on Morton and Zunino under their current contracts probably didn’t make sense for Tampa, which led to this outcome. However, considering that both players played a significant role in the team’s run to World Series appearance this season, it makes sense for the organization to try and bring them back under more affordable deals.

Charlie Morton played nine games in the 2020 regular season, going 2-2 with 4.74 ERA and 42 strikeouts. He went on to show up in the postseason, going on a run that saw him obtain a 3-1 record with 2.70 ERA and 22 strikeouts.

Morton, who has two All-Star nods and World Series ring from 2017 with Houston Astros, joined Tampa as a free agent in 2019.

Mike Zunino, on the other hand, landed with the Rays in a trade with Seattle Mariners in 2018. He also had a great showing in this year’s playoffs, starting 18 out of 20 games and delivering .170 to go with four postseason home runs and eight RBIs.

The post Rays Pass on Morton and Zunino’s Options But Remain Open to Keeping the, appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Atlanta Braves will enter the 2023 MLB playoffs without an important piece of their rotation. The Braves placed starting pitcher Charlie Morton on a 15-day injured list and expect him to be out through the National League Division Series at least.

Morton suffered a finger injury on his throwing hand on Friday against the Washington Nationals, being forced to exit the game after throwing just 24 pitches. The 39-year-old player was later diagnosed with a right index finger after an MRI exam over the weekend.

According to Atlanta’s manager Brian Snitker, the earliest Morton will return to the mound is the NL Championship Series in case Atlanta makes it there. Morton started 30 games for the Braves in 2023, going 14-12 with a 3.64 ERA and 183 strikeouts.

“We were looking at the calendar, and it’s going to be over three weeks [of recovery],” Snitker told reporters. “So, hopefully, best-case scenario, he could be ready for [the NLCS] if we advance.”

The good news for the Braves is that All-Star lefty Max Fried is expected to be available for the NLDS. Fried is currently on 15-day IL as well after developing blisters on his throwing hand but can be activated just in time for Game 1 of the NLDS.

The post Braves’ Place RHP Charlie Morton to 15-Day Injured List appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Atlanta Braves have been the busiest team on the free-agent market so far this offseason, and they continued with that trend by inking veteran right-handed starter Charlie Morton to a one-year, $15 million deal on Tuesday.

Morton returns to the team that drafted him and that he made his Major League debut with eleven years after they traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates as part of a deal for Nate McClouth.

The veteran righty, who was a staple of the Tampa Bay Rays’ rotation for the past two seasons, had his $15 million club option for 2021 turned down earlier this offseason and became a free agent.

After re-inventing himself over the past four seasons with Tampa Bay and Houston, Morton has become one of the better right-handed starters in all of baseball.

He posted a 4.74 ERA in 2020’s shortened campaign, but has posted ERA’s under 3.70 in three of the past four seasons while winning a total of 47 games.

Morton is set to jump into Atlanta’s rotation as a quality, stabilizing veteran presence in a pitching staff that’s full of young talents. 2019 All-Star Mike Soroka and 2020 standout Max Fried are set to slide in alongside Morton and fellow free-agent addition Drew Smyly next season, along with rookie phenom Ian Anderson.

Expect Morton to be a key part of the Braves’ pursuit of a fourth consecutive NL East title in 2021.

The post Braves Add SP Charlie Morton on 1-Year Deal appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Tampa Bay Rays’ general manager Erik Neander confirmed on Friday that the organization declined to exercise the options for the 2021 MLB season on All-Star pitcher Charlie Morton and veteran catcher Mike Zunino’s contracts.

Morton, who is one year removed from an All-MLB Second Team selection, was set to make $15 million according to the option. Zunino, on the other hand, missed out on $4.5 million.

Despite the Rays’ decision to pass on the duo’s options, Neander said that the team remains open to keeping both Morton and Zunino.

“With both of them, the door is staying open. We’re going to continue talking,” said Neander.

The finances of holding out on Morton and Zunino under their current contracts probably didn’t make sense for Tampa, which led to this outcome. However, considering that both players played a significant role in the team’s run to World Series appearance this season, it makes sense for the organization to try and bring them back under more affordable deals.

Charlie Morton played nine games in the 2020 regular season, going 2-2 with 4.74 ERA and 42 strikeouts. He went on to show up in the postseason, going on a run that saw him obtain a 3-1 record with 2.70 ERA and 22 strikeouts.

Morton, who has two All-Star nods and World Series ring from 2017 with Houston Astros, joined Tampa as a free agent in 2019.

Mike Zunino, on the other hand, landed with the Rays in a trade with Seattle Mariners in 2018. He also had a great showing in this year’s playoffs, starting 18 out of 20 games and delivering .170 to go with four postseason home runs and eight RBIs.

The post Rays Pass on Morton and Zunino’s Options But Remain Open to Keeping the, appeared first on SportzBonanza.