Report: Braves showing strong interest in Morton
The Atlanta Braves are still looking for starting pitching and appear to be zeroing in on one of the top free-agent arms.
Atlanta is showing strong interest in free-agent right-hander Charlie Morton, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Morton - a former Braves draft pick who made his big-league debut with them in 2008 - would bring plenty of postseason experience to Atlanta's rotation. The two-time All-Star was a key member of the Houston Astros' World Series championship club in 2017 and just finished helping the Tampa Bay Rays win a pennant. Morton owns a career 3.38 ERA with 67 strikeouts and a 1.21 WHIP in 13 postseason appearances (12 starts).
The 37-year-old made just nine starts for the Rays in the shortened 2020 season because of shoulder inflammation and saw his ERA rise to 4.74 with a 1.39 WHIP across 38 innings. In 2019, however, he produced a career-best season and finished third in AL Cy Young voting.
Despite Max Fried's brilliant 2020 campaign, Braves starters ranked among the worst rotations in the majors last year. Their collective 5.51 ERA was the NL's worst and was only better than the Angels and Tigers league-wide.
General manager Alex Anthopoulos has already moved to improve the staff, signing left-hander Drew Smyly to a one-year, $11-million deal last week. Atlanta will also get right-hander Mike Soroka back at some point next year after he finishes recovering from his torn Achilles.
At least eight to 10 teams are reportedly interested in signing Morton, who has expressed a preference to play for an east coast team.