The San Diego Padres are looking to make a major splash ahead of the impending trade deadline.
With the front office reportedly looking for another starting pitcher, the Friars are now asking about Baltimore Orioles veteran right-hander Charlie Morton, per MLB insider Buster Olney.
Morton has a pair of All-Star honors and World Series rings to his name, but at 41 years old, there is a bit of risk involved. His age plus expiring contract could potentially lead to a low-risk, high-reward trade, but a team like the Orioles will try and get all the assets that they can at the deadline.
Baltimore is 8.5 games back from the final Wild Card spot and not looking to make a run this season, but with the knowledge that San Diego is ultra-aggressive at the deadline and actively looking for another starter, this can drive up the price if a Morton deal were to arise.
Although the veteran right-hander is struggling on the mound this season, it’s his postseason resume that is drawing a majority of the trade interest.
Morton has an abysmal 5.58 ERA this season across 88.2 innings of work. The elevated ERA can be attributed to six consecutive losses to start his season, but he has gone 5-2 since the start of May with a 3.92 ERA.
As for Morton’s postseason prowess, both championships he has been a part of have been pivotal. His 2017 ring with the Houston Astros saw an October where Morton had a 4.17 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 23.1 innings of work.
His most recent championship, coming in 2021 with the Atlanta Braves, featured a 3.24 ERA across 16.2 October innings to help his team raise the Commissioner’s Trophy.
Morton has come a long way since his 2008 MLB debut and has been a part of six franchises along the way. Especially for a team like the Padres, who not only have a slightly pitcher-favoring ballpark but have eyes for a deep October run, can be the perfect landing spot for the veteran.
