Injuries are an unfortunate certainty of a baseball season, but some hurt more than others.
Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale was one of the most indispensable players in Major League Baseball this season. The defending Cy Young Award winner had a 2.52 ERA and 114 strikeouts through 15 starts. In his last eight starts, his ERA was 1.00.
Now that Sale has a fractured ribcage, the Braves are suddenly desperate for starting pitching. They’re 35-41, seven games out of a playoff spot, and getting back into the race is going to be tough. But the Braves are going to try.
Perhaps a trade for a depth starter, especially one with a track record of success in Atlanta, could make sense.
On Sunday, FanSided’s Christopher Kline suggested that the Braves could acquire 41-year-old Baltimore Orioles starter Charlie Morton, who signed a one-year, $15 million contract after four strong seasons in Atlanta, in a midseason trade.
“Over his last 10 appearances, including six starts, Morton has a 3.12 ERA and 3.09 FIP with 48 strikeouts in 40.1 innings,” Kline wrote. “While Morton is not the ace Baltimore needed after Corbin Burnes’ departure, he’s a totally functional mid-rotation option with a wealth of experience under his belt.
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“Trading for Morton gives Atlanta a far better option than either Didier Fuentes or Bryce Elder in the short term. Looking ahead, he would presumably transition to the bullpen come October, assuming Atlanta makes the playoffs.”
The 5.64 season ERA still looks ugly, but Morton has 74 strikeouts in 67 1/3 innings. His season FIP of 4.45 is virtually identical to last season in Atlanta. And the righty hasn’t missed significant time due to injury since 2017.
To make any moves that cost prospect capital and add to the payroll, the Braves probably have to get on a bit of a roll first. That won’t be easy without Sale, but if it happens, and if someone like Morton joins the fray, there could be better days ahead in Atlanta.
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