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Charlie Morton Plans to Come Back in 2025, Could Tampa Bay Rays Look to Bring Him Back?

Despite contemplating retirement, the 41-year-old is going to run it back next season.

Brady Farkas

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Charlie Morton (50) in action against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning at Truist Park on Sept 9.
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Charlie Morton (50) in action against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning at Truist Park on Sept 9. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
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Former Tampa Bay Rays ace Charlie Morton is set to continue pitching in 2025. Morton just turned 41 years old on Tuesday but will keep his career going for an 18th season.

Jeff Passan of ESPN had the information in a lengthy piece regarding free agency this year.

Charlie Morton, right-hander: He intends to pitch next season at 41 and remains a reliable innings eater with strikeout ability. He'll get a one-year deal with a contender.

Passan is right in his assertion. Morton has thrown 163.1 innings or more in each of the last four seasons with Atlanta. He also threw 194.2 innings for the 2019 Rays, meaning that he's hit that 163.1 or more number in each of the last five full seasons. The COVID-pandemic shortened the 2020 season.

Morton struck out 167 batters in 165.1 innings for Atlanta this year, still flashing his trademark curveball and a solid sinking fastball.

Lifetime, Morton is 138-123 in his 17 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Braves, Rays, Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros. He's a two-time All-Star and a two-time World Series champion (2017, 2021) who has won double-digit games in six different seasons.

With the Rays, Morton went 16-6 back in the 2019 season and he helped Tampa get to the World Series back in that COVID-shortened season.

The Rays could use another rotation arm this offseason, so it remains to be seen if they'll get re-engaged on the Morton market. They figure to have Shane McClanahan, Taj Bradley, Shane Baz, Drew Rasmusssen and Jeffrey Springs as rotation candidates, but there's a lot of question about health in that group. Morton's continued presence could go a long way toward providing some stability.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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