RADIO
Charlie Morton 2021 Outlook: Veteran May Lack the Stamina to Be A Fantasy Asset
4 years agoCharlie Morton had a disappointing 2020 season for the Rays, going 2-2 with a 4.74 ERA in 38 IP. Advanced metrics liked him a little bit more with a 4.01 xFIP, but the now 37-year-old saw his average fastball velocity decline (93.8 mph vs. 95 in 2019) and threw it more often (35.6% of the time vs. 30% in 2019) at the expense of his curve. Morton's curve is probably his best pitch, generating a 16.2 SwStr% and 37.4% chase rate in 2020. He might be able to get his K% closer to his impressive 2019 rate of 30.4 than last season's 24.7% with a tighter pitch selection, but the ability to last deep into games is another matter. Morton averaged just over four innings per start in 2020, a figure that's too low to earn wins or quality starts in our game. Leaving Tampa Bay for the Atlanta Braves may help address this issue, but we're talking about a guy who struggled the second time through the order (5.28 ERA over 15 1/3 IP vs. 3.00 over 18 IP first time through). The veteran may simply not have it in him to pitch deep into games anymore, making him a poor value at his current ADP of 145.43.
