The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Season high in strikeouts shows Morton back in form
The box score from Charlie Morton’s last two starts would tell you he is on the upswing after a rough start to the season. A closer look reveals something else that could mean he is truly returning to form.
Morton is again inducing swings and misses from hitters. Morton, who always observes hitters’ reactions, saw what he wanted to see out of the Padres on Saturday: They were late on his fastball and swung over his curveball a decent amount of times.
“That was nice to have the results be what they were,” Morton said after the win, “but also really to see what I was hoping to see out of hitters.”
Morton racked up a season-best nine strikeouts, four more than his previous season high. His stuff finally got the results he has hoped for all along.
On 43 swings against Morton, the Padres swung and missed at 15 pitches. This was an improvement from Morton’s May 8 start, when the Brewers whiffed on 10 pitches out of 43 swings.
And in this area, Morton’s last two starts were much better than the three before them.
On May 3 in New York, Morton only got five swings and misses on 45 swings. A start before that, he got three whiffs on 26 swings. He got seven on 36 swings before that.
This all led to Saturday,
when Morton held the Padres to a run over a season-high six innings. He looked like the same pitcher he’s been since reinventing himself and turning a corner five years ago.
After the game, the Padres credited Morton. They knocked him around for
five runs over five innings in April, but he has returned to his normal self.
“He’s a great pitcher,” acting manager Ryan Christenson said. “He’s always been a great pitcher. Had a good fastball (Saturday). The breaking ball was tough.”
Added infielder Jake Cronenworth: “He had his best stuff (Saturday), and he was hitting his spots and keeping us off balance and throwing his curveball for strikes.”
Full circle for Matt Olson, Sean Manaea: In 2015, Matt Olson and Sean Manaea both played for Double-a Midland. Their manager? Christenson, who is now Bob Melvin’s bench coach in San Diego.
Christenson is managing the Padres while Melvin recovers from prostate surgery. Olson and Manaea met again Saturday, this time as foes.
“It was pretty cool,” Olson said. “A little full circle.”
Olson homered off Manaea in their first meeting, but the lefty got the best of the lefthanded hitter the rest of the way. Manaea was charged with three earned runs over seven innings, though he pitched much better than that because he went out for the eighth having only allowed a run before his bullpen failed him.
“Manaea’s a great guy, great teammate, obviously a really good pitcher,” Olson said. “Happy for the success that he’s had.”
Comebacks part of Braves’ identity: The Braves trailed by three runs in the eighth inning and won Saturday, which marked their fourth comeback win of the season. Since Braves manager Brian Snitker took over as interim skipper May 17, 2016, Atlanta has won 14 games when trailing by three in the eighth inning or later, the most in the majors over that span.