Red Sox Rumors: Charlie Morton on the radar after Rays decline option

The Red Sox could have free-agent Charlie Morton on their radar.

The Boston Red Sox have a lot of question marks with their starting rotation and they are expected to seek an upgrade to solidify their staff. One potential option could come from a division rival.

Charlie Morton was added to the list of available starting pitchers on the free-agent market after the Rays declined his $15 million option for 2021, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.

Morton had an inconsistent season, posting a 4.74 ERA in nine starts. His 3.45 FIP suggests he pitched better than that though. He still limited home runs (0.9 HR/9) and walks (2.3 BB/9) while maintaining a strong strikeout rate (9.9 K/9).

He’s also a battle-tested big-game pitcher with a strong postseason track record. Morton is 7-3 with a 3.38 ERA in 13 career playoff appearances. He was 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA in four playoff start this year to help bring the Rays to the World Series.

Morton was an All-Star in each of the previous two seasons and he finished third on the AL Cy Young ballot in 2019, his first year in Tampa Bay.

He’ll turn 37 years old next month so Morton won’t be seeking a long-term deal. Considering how open he’s been about retirement, a one-year deal appears likely. That’s appealing for a Red Sox team that values future payroll flexibility, already has a significant amount of money tied up in their rotation and needs to plan ahead for re-signing Eduardo Rodriguez next year.

It’s clear why Morton would be a good fit for the Red Sox. The question is whether or not the feeling would be mutual. There have been whispers that Morton will either stay in Tampa Bay or retire. He has a home in Florida and he doesn’t appear eager to uproot his family for a temporary move at the end of his career in the midst of a pandemic.

It’s unlikely that another team will be able to lure Morton out of Tampa Bay but if he does surprise us by leaving the Rays, Boston should be on the short list of teams he would consider. The last time he hit free agency, Morton indicated that he preferred a destination on the East Coast, which led him from Houston to Tampa Bay. Chaim Bloom was running the Rays front office when they signed Morton in 2019 so that connection could open the door for a conversation about joining the Red Sox.

If Morton ends up staying in Tampa Bay it will almost certainly be for less than the $15 million option the team declined. The Rays want him back but it’s telling that they think they can keep him for less than that.

Trevor Bauer is in a class of his own in this year’s crop of free-agent starting pitchers and we can expect it will take a massive offer to sign him. Elite talent still gets paid, even in a pandemic when teams are suffering from a loss of revenue.

A case can be made that Morton is the best available pitcher in the next tier of starters, a group that includes Marcus Stroman, Masahiro Tanaka, Taijuan Walker, Mike Minor, Robbie Ray, and Jake Odorizzi. Even though he’s the oldest pitcher on the list, Morton is the most reliable among them. If the Rays believe they can re-sign Morton for less than $15 million, it’s hard to see how any of the other pitchers in this tier will get more than that.

This is a sign that we’re going to see a suppressed market this winter with most teams unwilling to increase payroll. Fresh off resetting the luxury tax penalties, Boston might be one of the few willing to spend. The Red Sox could clean up in a buyer’s market.

Rodriguez is expected to return for Opening Day next year and the Red Sox will get Chris Sale back in the rotation at some point next summer. Bauer is an enticing target but Boston doesn’t necessarily need a new ace. Finding a viable No. 3 starter from this mid-tier would provide a significant upgrade for this rotation. Whether it’s Morton or another option from that mid-tier group, the Red Sox should be able to acquire a starter to slot in the middle of their rotation for cheaper than you would expect in a normal offseason.

Morton is probably a long shot with the Rays still the heavy favorites to re-sign him but if his option being declined is a sign of where the starting pitching market is trending, that’s good news for the Red Sox.