Two-time All-Star pitcher Charlie Morton signs one-year, $15 million deal with the Braves

The Atlanta Braves have wasted little time in hitting the free agent market aggressively, bolstering their starting rotation in the process.

Right-handed pitcher Charlie Morton signed a one-year, $15 million deal with the Braves, the club announced on Tuesday. The Braves signed lefty Drew Smyly to a one-year, $11 million contract last week. 

“It’s swing and miss stuff,” Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said. “There’s a theme there with both Charlie and with Drew. Power swing-and-miss stuff, in the postseason it certainly plays.”

The deal for Morton is the largest free agent contract so far this offseason. The Tampa Bay Rays had the chance to retain him if they exercised their club option for the same amount, but they chose to decline it.  

Morton, who turned 37 earlier this month, joins a formidable rotation that includes LHP Max Fried, RHP Mike Soroka, Smyly and RHP Ian Anderson.

Morton was 2-2 with a 4.74 ERA in nine starts with the Rays last season, and he is 5-1 with a 2.10 ERA in his last six postseason starts with the team.

Since 2017, Morton is 47-18 with a 3.34 ERA in 97 starts. His 47 wins over this stretch are sixth most in baseball. He was an All-Star in 2018 and 2019, and won a World Series title in 2017 with the Houston Astros. He was originally a third round pick of Atlanta in the 2002 draft.