The Orioles entered the offseason hoping to add one starting pitcher and potentially two to their depth. On Friday night, they completed that checklist by signing veteran right-hander Charlie Morton to a one-year, major league deal, the team announced.
The contract is for $15 million, a source told The Baltimore Banner, as first reported by MLB.com.
It’s the second starting pitching signing for the Orioles this winter, after the team signed Tomoyuki Sugano to a one-year, $13 million deal.
Morton, 41, has pitched over 140 innings in seven of the last eight seasons, the exception being the shortened 2020 pandemic season. Last season, with the Braves, Morton pitched to a 4.19 ERA in 30 starts.
Morton will join a rotation that will likely include Zach Eflin, Grayson Rodriguez, Sugano and Dean Kremer, with Albert Suárez, Trevor Rogers, Cade Povich, Chayce McDermott and Brandon Young also options. Tyler Wells and Kyle Bradish, who had season-ending elbow surgeries last year, are expected back midseason.
