When MLB teams return to action from the All-Star break on Friday, the Boston Red Sox will automatically be the hottest team in baseball. After winning their final 10 games before the break, the Red Sox have leapt up into a playoff spot in the American League wild card race, and in case there was any question of what they would do at the trade deadline, they seem set to operate as buyers in an effort to aid their upcoming playoff push.
Despite their recent run, it's clear that Boston has some areas of need they must shore up if they intend on returning to the postseason this year. One such area is their starting rotation, which has relied heavily on Garrett Crochet to this point. While the Sox have been linked to big names like Joe Ryan of the Minnesota Twins, they may have to aim lower, which could lead them to targeting Charlie Morton of the Baltimore Orioles.
“One of many Orioles on an expiring contract, Morton suddenly looks like an attractive chip,” Rosenthal wrote for The Athletic. “During Fox’s All-Star preview show on Monday, I mentioned him as a possibility for the Boston Red Sox. Yes, the Red Sox would love to do better, and perhaps they will. But the starting pitching market is thin and Sox manager Alex Cora is familiar with Morton from the 2017 Houston Astros. With Bryan Bello and Lucas Giolito both on a roll, perhaps the Sox would be OK with someone like Morton rather than a pure (and possibly unattainable) No. 2 starter.”
Should Red Sox make trade with Orioles for Charlie Morton?
Morton's numbers on the year (5-7, 5.18 ERA, 88 K, 1.52 WHIP) don't look that great at first glance, but the majority of his issues flared up in his first five starts, when he posted a horrific 10.89 ERA. Since then, though, he's looked like his normal self, returning to the veteran innings-eater who typically finds a way to keep runs off the board.
While Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello appear to have turned a corner for the Red Sox as of late, they could use some depth behind them, thanks in large part to a slew of injuries and Walker Buehler's struggles. Considering how Morton is a 41-year-old pitcher who is set to hit free agency after this season, he could be picked up for cheap, so if Baltimore decides to move on from him, Boston is a team well worth keeping an eye on.
