Is Charlie Morton turning a corner for the Orioles?

Charlie Morton was the first to tell you that his 2025 season wasn't off to the start he had hoped for. Morton made five starts to begin the year. In those outings, he allowed 25 runs, good for a 10.89 ERA. He walked 15, allowed 31 hits, and induced just 25 ground balls. The Baltimore Orioles lost all five games. This all would've made sense if the 41-year-old's stuff had just succumbed to Father Time. It hadn't.

Even in those disastrous five outings, the physical characteristics of Morton's pitches were on par with what they had been in the past. There was no significant drop in velocity or spin rate, which would've suggested the possibility that Morton's time was nearing its end. The stuff was still good, but the results were far from it.

The biggest factor was the curveball. When Morton has been at his best, the curve has been his go-to. As recently as 2023, Morton's curve was one of the ten best in baseball, according to Statcast's run value. To kick off 2025, it was one of the worst.

After those five starts, the O's moved Morton to the bullpen. If his recent outings are any indication, that may have been the perfect lever to pull.

Charlie Morton is starting to find a groove

In his last four outings, Morton has a 2.35 ERA. He tossed over 15 innings, allowing just eight hits with four walks and 17 strikeouts. His curveball has returned to solid form, with far fewer misses in the middle part of the zone. That recent success includes a return to the rotation, a six-inning two-run start against the St. Louis Cardinals, one of the hottest teams in baseball.

Morton was never tasked with being an ace. The goal of bringing in the veteran in the offseason was to provide some stability and playoff experience in an oft-injured rotation that had just lost Corbin Burnes and is waiting to see the return of Kyle Bradish. The stability hasn't been there for Morton, nor for many pitchers the O's have sent to start games.

If his most recent outing is any indication, Morton could finally be turning a corner, just as Baltimore is trying to do the same.

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