The Boston Red Sox big pitching question now revolves around the bullpen, but what about an additional starter? Veteran Charlie Morton could certainly provide quality rotation depth.
When last seen by Boston Red Sox fans, 35-year-old right-harder Charlie Morton was being pummeled by the Fenway boys in the ALCS – his last appearance before lining up at the feeding trough of greenbacks. Morton is potentially in line for a minimum two-year deal and $32 million to assuage the pain inflicted by Boston’s bats. Why not examine the possibility of those bats being a benefactor to Morton’s baseball future?
Morton – or at least the current rebuilt Morton – is not a great pitcher, but a very good pitcher. In 2018, Morton led the American League pitchers in winning percentage (.833) with a 15-3 record. The year before, Morton was 14-7, but prior to that Morton was the type of pitcher that brought statistical lust to batters. Fact is, Morton was far more dispensable than indispensable. What happened?
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Pitching is often classified as an art form and before arriving in Houston from Philadelphia, Morton was most certainly a starving artist, but sometimes things just “happen.” In this instance, the most notable was an increase in pitch velocity – just the opposite of what one would expect as the years and innings get tacked on. In 2018, Morton’s fastball was one of the fastest with at 95.7 average.
Morton did other nice things, as in baseball nice, with a fifth best 47.4 GB% among AL starters. That has Morton keeping the ball in the yard with a career 0.8 HR/9 and a 1.0 HR/9 in 2018. Morton mixes in a curve with a change and that curve can be one of the best and one Morton takes delight with using with two strikes in the count. So – Morton is capable, available, has no qualifying offer, and would require Nathan Eovaldi money, but for two and not four years.
The negatives are readily apparent and it is not performance, but need. The Red Sox have some depth accumulating in their rotation and Morton may represent starter overkill. The issue that is certainly the possible crux for Morton is the current state of the closer situation in Boston that needs to be resolved.
If the Red Sox lose Craig Kimbrel will they approach Eovaldi to close? I have my doubts, but with baseball, everything is on the table. And if Kimbrel is re-signed or replaced it is most certainly not going to be done with spare change from Dave Dombrowski’s couch. The closer and further bullpen additions may certainly take precedent over Morton or any other potential starter.
The issue of too many rotation arms is one I have a tendency to reject thanks to the baseball adage of “never having enough pitching.” Recent history is one such indicator when the 2009 Red Sox were brimming with starters – a pitching cornucopia that by the end of the season had starts being handed out to Paul Byrd, Junichi Tazawa, and a promising Justin Masterson. So much for John Smoltz, Brad Penny and Daisuke Matsuzaka.
A Morton signing could also be somewhat of a preemptive measure with the pending free agency of Chris Sale and Rick Porcello. Morton on a two-year deal could provide a buffer for when Boston loses one or both with the possibility of a successful Morton providing a degree of stability as the Red Sox seek replacements either externally or internally.
Morton is not flashy, but Morton for two seasons has been one of the more reliable starters in the American League – a positive addition to any rotation – which makes me question why Houston has somewhat of a hesitant attitude towards re-signing the veteran. Do they know something?