Skip to content

Rays' Morton 'fully expecting' to retire when contract expires

Boston Globe / Getty

Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Charlie Morton is reaching the end of the road, as the veteran hurler is likely retiring from professional baseball when his contract expires.

"I'm fully expecting that," Morton told Jon Morosi of MLB Network. "Yes. One hundred percent."

Morton, 35, signed a two-year, $30-million contract this offseason that includes a vesting option for 2021 worth as much as $15 million and as little as $1 million depending on health. He will be 37 after the third and final year of the deal.

This isn't the first time Morton has openly contemplated the end of his playing career. In 2017, he said he was thinking of hanging up his cleats following the 2018 campaign.

A first-time All-Star in 2018, Morton rejuvenated a stalled career over his last two seasons with the Astros. Over 55 starts, he went 29-10 with a 3.36 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and a 10.4 K/9 over 313 2/3 innings in Houston. As effective as he was when healthy, Morton suffered a variety of injuries over his 'Stros tenure, losing time to shoulder and lat ailments.

Morton is expected to be the Rays' No. 2 starter, slotting into the rotation behind reigning AL Cy Young winner Blake Snell and alongside young arms Tyler Glasnow and Ryan Yarbrough.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox