{"id":58193,"date":"2025-05-03T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-03T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=58193"},"modified":"2025-05-03T07:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-05-03T07:00:00","slug":"update-charlie-morton-remains-in-denial-despite-demotion-to-orioles-bullpen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new365.azontree.com\/?p=58193","title":{"rendered":"UPDATE!! Charlie Morton remains in denial despite demotion to Orioles bullpen"},"content":{"rendered":"

Baltimore has officially demoted 41-year-old Charlie Morton to the bullpen, but he still thinks he has quality baseball left in the tank.<\/p>\n

\"Charlie<\/p>\n

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It has not been the season folks expected from the Baltimore Orioles.<\/p>\n

We were all a little down on this team after Corbin Burnes’ departure, but the O’s were in the playoffs just a few months ago.<\/p>\n

This is the team with perhaps the deepest pipeline of young, MLB-ready talent in baseball, led by a perennial MVP candidate in Gunnar Henderson. It wasn’t supposed to be like this.<\/p>\n

As of Friday, the O’s are dead last in the AL East at 12-18. It’s too early in the season for outright panic, but man, the path forward \u2014 for this season at least \u2014 is grim.<\/p>\n

Baltimore will slowly get healthier, but there isn’t a more exploitable rotation in MLB right now. At least, not on a team trying to contend for a World Series.<\/p>\n

The recent Kyle Gibson addition plainly\u00a0did not help. Baltimore eagerly awaits Zach Eflin’s return, but there’s only so much one man can do in this situation. I’m not convinced the O’s would be much better off with Burnes on the roster right now.<\/p>\n

The main culprit for their rotation struggles has been 41-year-old free agent signing Charlie Morton, who inked a one-year, $15 million deal to author what is probably his last MLB chapter. Morton had been a paragon of consistency for the\u00a0Atlanta Braves\u00a0over the years, but it just ain’t happening right now.<\/p>\n

Brandon Hyde officially demoted Morton to the bullpen this week, but it sounds like the 18-year vet may need a bit more time to process his new reality.<\/p>\n

Charlie Morton thinks his stuff is ‘fine’ despite disastrous start to Orioles season<\/h2>\n

Morton spoke frankly with reporters after the demotion. He’s looking forward to throwing more frequently, but doesn’t think his issues are related to the quality of his stuff. We may have to disagree.<\/p>\n

“I\u2019m looking at it as an opportunity to maybe throw a little more frequently than I otherwise would, and try to get dialed back in,” Morton told\u00a0Andy Kostka\u00a0of The Baltimore Banner.<\/p>\n

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