Braves boost rotation, sign Morton for $15M
ATLANTA » The Atlanta Braves were looking for more than just experience and depth when they signed two-time All-Star Charlie Morton to a $15 million, one-year deal Tuesday.
As was the case when the Braves recently signed another veteran for the rotation, Drew Smyly, general manager Alex Anthopoulos sought a power arm to help push Atlanta to the World Series.
“It’s swing and miss stuff,” Anthopoulos said. “There’s a theme there with both Charlie and with Drew. Power swing-and-miss stuff, in the postseason it certainly plays.”
Morton, a 37-year-old right-hander, is returning to the Braves after helping Tampa Bay reach the World Series this season.
The Braves relied on their young starting pitchers to move within one game of the World Series this year, falling to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the NL Championship Series.
Braves left-hander Max Fried finished fifth in the NL Cy Young Award voting. Rookie sensation Ian Anderson and Kyle Wright also boosted the rotation after Atlanta lost ace Mike Soroka with a torn Achilles tendon.
The Braves are counting on Soroka’s return in 2021, but the injury was a reminder of the need for depth.
“It’s going to be a longer season than it was last season with 60 games, and depth is critically important,” Anthopoulos said.
Morton was 2-2 with a 4.74 ERA in nine starts with Tampa Bay in 2020. He was 3-1 with a 2.70 ERA in four postseason starts as the Rays advanced to the World Series.
“We saw him trending back to where he was in 2019,” Anthopoulos said.
Rays’ Arozarena arrested
MEXICOCITY» Tampa Bay outfielder Randy Arozarena has been arrested in Mexico’s Yucatan state for a situation involving allegations of domestic violence, just two weeks after he won the Babe Ruth award for the Most Valuable Player in postseason.
The Yucatan state prosecutors’ office confirmed Tuesday that Arozarena was detained “for problems relating to his expartner.”
He has not been formally charged yet. Mexican law allows a two-day period for prosecutors to decide whether to bring charges. Normally suspects are held in jail pending that decision.