Nine years after coming to the crossroads, Morton reaches 2,000 K's

SAN FRANCISCO -- More than two decades since being part of the same Braves’ Draft class that included Brian McCann and Jeff Francoeur, Charlie Morton is a proud member of baseball’s exclusive 2,000 strikeout club.

Morton reached this milestone while guiding the Braves to a 4-3, 10-inning win over the Giants on Tuesday night at Oracle Park. The 40-year-old hurler is one of 19 pitchers to record 1,200-plus strikeouts at 34 and older.

“I called my wife because that was a big deal,” Morton said. “I met her in [2006]. She’s been a rock for our family and for my career. I’ve gotten to experience a lot of moments I never would have thought I would have eight, nine or 10 years ago.”

Braves catcher Travis d'Arnaud shared the memorable moment with Morton and also provided two of the game’s biggest hits. d’Arnaud homered in the third inning and guided his game-winning single through the right side with one out in the 10th.

“I’m so happy for him,” d’Arnaud said. “That’s such a hard accomplishment. And for him to get it at 40 is pretty special.”

Chris Sale provided a dominant 12-strikeout performance in Monday’s series opener and Morton kept things rolling for the Braves, who have won two straight since blowing a six-run, eighth-inning lead in Sunday’s loss to the Rockies at Coors Field. They now have a two-game lead over the Mets and a 3 1/2-game lead over the Giants in the battle for the National League’s final Wild Card spot.

Morton fittingly used his great curveball to notch his milestone strikeout against Mike Yastrzemski in the sixth inning. It's the pitch that has set him apart going back to when he made his MLB debut for the Braves in 2008.

“His stuff is really good,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “He might still be throwing like that when he is 50. That was big tonight.”

Morton recorded eight strikeouts and limited the Giants to two runs over six innings. San Francisco whiffed on eight of 21 swings against his curve.

Morton is one 89 pitchers to ever record 2,000 strikeouts. He joins Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Clayton Kershaw, Chris Sale, Gerrit Cole and Lance Lynn as the only active pitchers who have reached this mark.

But to truly appreciate the determination that has fueled Morton’s late-career success, it’s best to focus on the 1,207 strikeouts he has tallied going back to the reinvigorating 34-year-old season he spent helping the Astros win the 2017 World Series.

Greg Maddux tallied 1,211 strikeouts after turning 34. Apples to oranges? Maybe. Maddux won the last of his four National League Cy Young Awards when he was 30 in 1995. Morton owned a 4.54 career ERA through the 30-year-old season he spent with the Pirates in 2015.

“I’m really grateful that I’ve gotten to experience a lot of what I have, considering the fact I wasn’t sure I was even going to be given the ball to start anymore after 2015,” Morton said.

Morton began transforming his delivery and approach while with the Phillies in 2015, but he tore his hamstring and missed most of that season. He began leaning more on his curveball the next two years with Houston and he increased his usage of it to 37.4% with the Rays in 2019, when he finished third in American League Cy Young Award balloting.

d’Arnaud was his catcher during part of that 2019 season and they have worked together with Atlanta each of the past four years.

“It’s incredible for somebody to have such a career resurgence and understand who he truly is,” d’Arnaud said. “For him to even stay in the game before he turned 34 shows how much he loves the game and loves being around a baseball field.”

Morton returned to pitch this year when the Braves picked up his $20 million option. Pitching beyond this season remains questionable. While Francoeur, McCann and other players his age tasted early success and retired to be with their family, Morton has been making up for lost time while sacrificing time that could be spent with his wife, Cindy, and their four children.

“I think that is where the struggle has been,” Morton said. “But I’m grateful I got all these opportunities to fail and then I got the ball again. People believed in me and so, here I am.”