The Detroit Tigers are in the middle of a free-fall with under 10 games to go in the 2025 MLB season. With the Cleveland Guardians on a hot streak at the same time, the once 15.5 game division lead is down to just 2.5 games.
One of the reasons for the lead shrinking so much was the Guardians' sweep of the Tigers in Detroit, but with a chance to rebound against the Atlanta Braves, Charlie Morton had a disastrous outing, resulting in the Tigers' fourth-straight loss.
After the game, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch was asked about whether Morton would have a role in the team's starting rotation the rest of the year. Hinch's answer was non-committal, and not a good sign for Morton to keep his role in the rotation.
A.J. Hinch doesn't guarantee that Charlie Morton will make his next start
In a piece from Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free Press, Hinch's comments point to the Tigers looking for an alternative in the rotation other than Morton, thanks to his recent struggles.
"Tough question right after the game," Hinch said. "I understand why you're asking. I don't know. Obviously, we've got to figure it out."
Morton's struggles on the mound came to a head in his Braves outing. He made it just 1.1 innings, allowing five hits, two walks, one hit-by-pitch, and six earned runs as he was on the hook for his 11th loss on the year, and his third with the Tigers.
Since coming to Detroit, Morton has made nine starts. In those appearances, his ERA is at 7.09, mirroring his early-season numbers with the Baltimore Orioles.
Morton started the year on an awful note in Baltimore, pitching to a disastrous 10.36 ERA in his first six starts. But, in his next 17 outings before being traded to the Tigers, he had a reasonable 3.86 ERA with a 4.24 FIP.
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Detroit believed his more recent production was the real version of Morton, but after his nine starts in Detroit, the team has to consider making a change.
From being a top team in the American League to now being in danger of not even winning the AL Central, the Tigers can't afford to mess around and hope for Morton to get right. Detroit doesn't have the leeway.
Another reason why Detroit should strongly consider changing up the rotation is that Morton's next start would be against the Guardians in the series finale. If he continues to struggle, that matchup is too important for Morton to get the start.
There are only eight games left, and while Morton could still make another start for the Tigers, if he's in there against the Guardians, with his recent track record, it's a huge risk.
While Hinch hasn't made the decision (hardly surprising since it's right after the game), the Tigers should reevaluate their options before trotting him back out there, especially with a massive matchup against their division rival on schedule.
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