Pitching Depth: Blue Jays Seek Seasoned Veteran in Charlie Morton
The top priorities on the Toronto Blue Jays’ offseason shopping list have been apparent for months now, but one of the most surprising developments early in the offseason has been their reported interest in top-tier starting pitchers.
Corbin Burnes and Max Fried — two of the top three starting pitchers on the market this winter — are reportedly being pursued by the Blue Jays. Left field, third base, backup catcher and the bullpen are the bigger areas of concern, but perhaps the Blue Jays see an area of opportunity to pounce in the starter’s market. The top end of Toronto’s starting rotation has been solid the last few years, but their rotation collectively owned the 14th-best ERA in baseball in 2024, so there’s room for improvement.
Perhaps fortifying the back end of the rotation and raising the floor is one way to improve Toronto’s chances next year?
One veteran starter who comes to mind is Charlie Morton. 2025 would be his 18th year in the league, but the 41-year-old still has something to offer a team that’s willing to take a chance on a veteran starter. What if that team were the Toronto Blue Jays?
Let’s examine whether Morton makes sense for this squad as the Blue Jays aim to improve any way they can in 2025.
Charlie Morton in 2024
Ho hum, just another season where Morton does what he does, posting 30 starts for the fourth consecutive season and the sixth consecutive season of 30+ starts (not including 2020). For the past 10 years, his ERA has hovered in the 3.00-5.00 range, and 2024 saw his ERA cross over to 4.19.
Morton’s strikeout rate tumbled down to 23.8%, the lowest of his career since he was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2025. Although his whiffs were down 6.1%, hard contact didn’t plague the right-hander as badly in 2024, as he kept the ball on the ground.
Despite making all 30 starts, the Braves passed over Morton on their 2024 NLDS playoff roster against the San Diego Padres. Following the Braves playoff exit, there was some chatter about whether Morton might retire, but Jeff Passan from ESPN says Morton “intends to pitch next season”.
At 41 years old, Morton is the second oldest active starting pitcher, second to only Justin Verlander.
