Breaking: Braves star sets a new record at the age of 40

Charlie Morton has made 17 postseason starts for ten playoff teams, winning two World Series championships.

Following another victory for the Atlanta Braves on Friday night, he offered some philosophical perspective on his 17-year career.

“There are times when I’m like, man, I’m ready to go home,” said Morton. “But these guys make it easy.”

Six months after turning 40, Morton is still going strong this season, with a 3-0 record and a 3.14 ERA. He has 40 strikeouts and 14 walks in 43 innings, averaging more than six innings in seven starts.

Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer, and former Houston colleague Justin Verlander are the only other active pitchers to have reached 2,000 career innings, and all three are expected to go to the Hall of Fame.

“That’s a lot,” Morton said after a 4-2 win over the New York Mets. “I’ve accrued some innings in the minor leagues, too, so I feel like it’s something to be proud of.”

His early consistency, including a 1.73 ERA and four consecutive quality starts, has been vital to a Braves team that is without No. 1 starter Spencer Strider, who is out for the season due to elbow surgery after leading the majors in wins and strikeouts last year.

Morton has had his fair share of ailments throughout the course of his up-and-down professional career, which began 22 years ago when the Braves selected him out of Joel Barlow High in Connecticut.

But here he is, a two-time All-Star still throwing 95-96 mph at the age of 40 and pitching deep into games against the world’s top hitters.

“He amazes me every time he goes out there,” Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. “2,000 innings and that ball’s still coming out of his hand like that.”

So, in an era when so many pitchers are injured, how has Morton been able to stay in the majors this long after making his debut in 2008?

“I’m permitted to throw a lot of pitches. “I’ve been fortunate enough to have a body strong enough to do it,” he remarked. “And what I tell guys is that you’ll eventually learn to throw without pain. Because pain is a solid indication that you’re doing something incorrectly during delivery.”

Morton pitched seven excellent innings against the Mets, allowing one run and three hits while striking out seven and walking one. He threw 99 pitches, of which 65 were strikes.

“I feel good, especially early,” Morton explained. “Whereas I used to feel good probably until the fourth or fifth inning, now it’s like around inning three, I’ve got to become a bit creative. However, it is still early. It’s early May. So I’m still getting in shape, but my legs are getting under me a little.

The right-hander increased his total record to 133-113 with the Braves, Pirates, Phillies, Astros, and Rays. He is also 7-5 with a 3.60 ERA in 18 postseason games, including a World Series victory in relief in 2017 when he recorded the final 12 outs for Houston in the Game 7 thriller over the Dodgers.

During the 2021 World Series with Atlanta, he pitched 16 pitches and recorded three outs, two of which were strikeouts, after being hit by a strong comebacker that forced him out of Game 1 against Houston due to a damaged right leg.

Because his curveball is so strong, Morton admits that he sometimes becomes predictable and has to tell himself on the pitch, “C’mon Chuck, throw a heater.”

However, his breaking pitches have played a significant role in his late-career success.

“I’ve become a little bit of a thumber.” You’re throwing a lot of off-speed. “And, surprisingly, my heater occasionally fails,” Morton explained. “I believe my delivery has improved significantly over time, as has my ability to work in effective teams. Being on teams with guys who care about each other and have fantastic coaches. I have a wonderful family and friends who support me.

“Honestly, I think just working out and throwing the ball the right way.”

Morton works out at Athletic Edge, a performance and fitness facility in Florida, throughout the offseason, regaining strength each winter.

“Almost everything hurts at this point. But I’ve been able to throw. I’ve been able to improve my workouts. I’ve been able to improve my flexibility to the point where I believe it’s fairly decent,” he remarked. “I mean, I am 40 years old. “I know I’m not a spring chicken anymore.”

And after all those innings and all his accomplishments, there’s a lot to be proud of – and grateful for.

“Going through multiple surgeries like in a short span of time, probably four or five surgeries in four or five years, I think things like that, where I was kind of like patting myself on the back a little bit, it’s like, yeah, you kind of grinded it out,” Morton stated.

“But, looking back, I believe I was blessed. I believe I was lucky. I believe that many things went my way, even when I thought they didn’t. And now, I’m around 20 years into it. I can still toss the ball hard. I can still spin it. And not many men can at this age. I believe this is largely due to luck. Being able to maintain a somewhat healthy state, as well as being allowed time and grace to work things out.”