Atlanta Braves pick up 2024 option for Charlie Morton

Atlanta's rotation veteran will be returning to the Braves on a one year, $20M club option

Per a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan, The Atlanta Braves are expected to pick up the 2024 club option on starting pitcher Charlie Morton. 

Atlanta is exercising its $20 million option on right-hander Charlie Morton, sources tell ESPN. There was significant discussion within the organization about declining it, but ultimately the Braves decided to bring back Morton, who is beloved in Atlanta, for another season.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 6, 2023

Morton, who turns 40 on November 12th, will be entering his 4th season in Atlanta after originally signing a one-year contract with the team after the 2020 season.

He made 30 starts for the third consecutive season in 2023, putting up a 3.64 ERA and a 14-12 record with 183 strikeouts in 163.1 innings. Morton's 10.1 K/9 strikeout rate is narrowly the lowest of his Atlanta tenure, but the real concern is his WHIP and homer rate: both have climbed significantly during his Braves tenure. 

Season	ERA	K/9	BB/9	WHIP
2021	3.34	10.5	2.8	1.045
2022	4.34	10.7	3.3	1.233
2023	3.64	10.1	4.6	1.427

Morton also missed the end of the 2023 regular season and NLDS with a sprained index finger, but was activated off of the injured list during the series and reportedly would have pitched in the NLCS had Atlanta advanced past Philadelphia. 

The 2024 club option is for $20M dollars; after the initial one year deal for 2021 at $15M, each contract extension Morton has signed has been for the same $20M, in essence going year-to-year with his decision. 

Morton, who lives in Bradenton, FL near Atlanta's North Port spring training facility, returned home after the NLDS loss to decompress from the season and make his 2024 decision with his family. His return gives Atlanta some cost certainty about how much money they have to spend in free agency as they look for additional postseason-caliber starting pitching via both free agency and the trade market. 

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