The baseball world was abuzz this week as veteran pitcher Charlie Morton, just days removed from a rocky outing and subsequent release by the Detroit Tigers, found himself back in familiar territory—rejoining the Atlanta Braves for a remarkable third stint. The move comes at a pivotal moment in the regular season, with the Braves eyeing another postseason run and Morton’s career narrative taking yet another unexpected turn.
On Sunday, September 21, 2025, the Detroit Tigers made a bold decision by designating the 41-year-old Morton for assignment. The Tigers, mired in their worst stretch of the season and clinging to postseason hopes, had only recently acquired Morton ahead of the trade deadline. The expectation was that the seasoned right-hander would stabilize a shaky rotation. Instead, a string of poor performances—culminating in a disastrous start against the Braves on Friday, September 19, where Morton surrendered six earned runs in just 1.1 innings—forced Detroit manager A.J. Hinch’s hand. The Tigers fell 10-1 that night, and Morton’s fate seemed sealed.
“It wasn’t even on the radar,” Braves manager Brian Snitker told reporters on Monday, September 22, when asked about Morton’s sudden availability. “I talked to him Saturday afternoon before batting practice (in Detroit). We don’t really have a plan. We got him back. I don’t know what that plan would be.” According to David O’Brien of The Athletic, Snitker confirmed that Morton would arrive in Atlanta on Tuesday, September 23, but remained noncommittal about when—or if—the veteran would take the mound in the season’s final week.
The news of Morton’s return to Atlanta, reported by multiple outlets including the Associated Press, sent Braves fans into a frenzy of speculation. Would the veteran get one last shot at glory in the postseason? Or was this simply a fitting coda for a pitcher whose career began and now, potentially, ends with the Braves?
Morton’s journey this season has been anything but smooth. After signing a one-year, $15 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles in January, he posted a 7-8 record with a 5.42 ERA in 23 appearances. A midseason trade sent him to Detroit, where he initially showed flashes of his old form. In his Tigers debut, Morton pitched six innings against the Philadelphia Phillies, allowing just one earned run on four hits, with a walk and six strikeouts—a performance that briefly reignited hope in the Motor City. For the rest of August, he managed a 2-2 record with a 4.61 ERA, a marked improvement over his Baltimore numbers.
But September brought a harsh downturn. Over four starts this month, Morton was tagged for a staggering 12.75 ERA, with opposing batters slugging .340 and posting an OPS of 1.152 against him. The warning signs were impossible to ignore: Morton was missing fewer bats, and hitters were making him pay. The Tigers, desperate to halt their slide, made the difficult call to move on from the veteran, despite their playoff aspirations.
“Given his age and how this season has gone for Morton, it would not be surprising to see him hang up his glove,” wrote one analyst, echoing the sentiment of many around the league. Yet, if Morton is indeed nearing the end, there’s poetic symmetry in returning to Atlanta, where his major league journey began after being drafted in the third round (95th overall) of the 2002 draft. Morton made his MLB debut with the Braves in 2008, then spent time with the Pirates, Phillies, Astros, and Rays before rejoining Atlanta for the 2021-24 seasons.
His career is one marked by resilience and reinvention. Morton’s 2025 season stat line—9-11 record, 5.89 ERA in 32 games (26 starts)—belies the impact he’s had over 415 career games (406 starts) and 2,266 innings. He’s racked up 2,195 strikeouts, ranking sixth among active MLB pitchers, and boasts a regular-season win-loss record of 147-134. Perhaps most notably, Morton is a two-time World Series champion, having won titles with the Houston Astros in 2017 and the Braves in 2021.
The Braves’ decision to bring Morton back was not without roster implications. In a corresponding move, Atlanta optioned right-handed pitcher Jhancarlos Lara to Triple-A Gwinnett and designated right-hander Carson Ragsdale for assignment. The front office’s willingness to shuffle the deck speaks to Morton’s enduring reputation as a clubhouse leader and big-game performer—even as his recent numbers raise questions about what, if anything, he has left in the tank.
For Braves fans, Morton’s return is more than a sentimental reunion. With the postseason looming, Atlanta’s rotation has faced its share of adversity this year, from injuries to inconsistency among younger arms. Morton’s experience, especially under the bright lights of October, could prove invaluable—even if his role is limited to mentorship or spot duty. As Snitker put it, “We got him back.” The rest remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, the Tigers are left to ponder what might have been. Morton’s acquisition was meant to signal a win-now mentality, but his September struggles mirrored the team’s overall decline. The move to cut ties, though painful, was perhaps necessary as Detroit looks to salvage what’s left of its season and retool for the future.
Across the league, Morton’s journey serves as a reminder of baseball’s unpredictability and the thin line between triumph and adversity. Just months ago, he was expected to anchor rotations in Baltimore and Detroit. Now, at 41, he’s back where it all started, with the possibility—however slim—of one more magical moment in a Braves uniform.
As of Tuesday, Morton is officially back in Atlanta. Whether he takes the mound again this season remains an open question, but his return has already sparked new energy in the Braves’ clubhouse and among the fanbase. Will the veteran right-hander get one last shot at postseason glory, or is this the final chapter in a storied career? For now, all eyes are on Atlanta as the regular season races to its dramatic conclusion.
