The Detroit Tigers designated right-handed veteran Charlie Morton for assignment on Sunday, a decision that didn't come as much of a surprise. Morton has been one of the worst starters in Major League Baseball for much of the year, but that doesn't detract from the fact that he’s been excellent for much of his big-league career.
Throwing in parts of 18 MLB seasons, there's a reason why Morton found a way to stick around this league for as long as he did.
The Tigers decided to take a risk with the veteran at the trade deadline, acquiring him in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles. Unfortunately, Morton posted a 7.09 ERA in 39.1 innings of work. His strikeout stuff was decent still, striking out 47 hitters in his 39.1 innings.
Is this the end for Charlie Morton?
As Morton looks to figure things out for the next stage of his career, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported that he might be retiring in the near future. Whether that comes at the end of the season remains to be seen, but he signed a deal with the Atlanta Braves on Monday.
"Veteran starter Charlie Morton, who has yielded a 7.09 ERA in his nine starts since joining the Detroit Tigers, may call it a career after this season," Nightengale reported.
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If this is it for Morton, he should be pleased with what he did in his career. Born in Flemington, New Jersey, Morton was a two-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion.
He owns a career 4.13 ERA and 147 wins as of now.