Aging like fine wine, Morton (11 K's) keeps elite company

ATLANTA -- Charlie Morton’s career seemed to be nearing a close when he joined the Astros before the 2017 season. But five years after helping Houston claim a World Series title, the veteran hurler showed his former team why he’s still considered one of the game’s top starting pitchers.

Morton’s latest effort went unrewarded, as the Braves’ bullpen stumbled in a 5-4 loss to the Astros on Sunday afternoon at Truist Park. But as the 38-year-old hurler notched his fifth double-digit strikeout total of the season, he gave Atlanta fans further reason to be excited about what this October might bring.

“He keeps going,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “It’s just his stuff. That knack for throwing that curveball, he could pitch until he’s like 60 with that thing.”

Morton notched 11 strikeouts and allowed just two runs over six innings. He stands as the only MLB pitcher 38 or older to record five double-digit strikeout games this year. In fact, the Astros’ Justin Verlander is the only other member of this group with two such games this year.

But Morton’s effort wasn’t enough for the Braves, who saw Dylan Lee and Jackson Stephens combine to allow three runs over the final two innings.

Even with the loss to wrap the series, the Braves will head to Pittsburgh feeling good about where they stand. They went 5-2 on this homestand against the Mets and Astros, two World Series contenders. In the process, the defending world champions lessened the Mets’ lead in the NL East from 5 1/2 games to four games.

The starting rotation shined throughout this homestand. Atlanta’s top four starters -- Morton, Max Fried, Kyle Wright and Spencer Strider -- combined to post a 1.96 ERA in the six games they started. Strider and Morton both made two starts during the homestand.

Astros MVP candidate Yordan Alvarez’s two-run single with two outs in the third accounted for the only runs allowed by Morton, who has a 2.64 ERA over his past 12 starts going back to June 17. His ability to bounce back from early-season woes just adds to the perseverance he has shown while constructing an inspirational career.

“Charlie is a really good pitcher and a great guy, too,” Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker said. “It’s tough to face him, but you just have to keep battling.”

This marked the first time the Astros faced Morton since he fractured his leg in Game 1 of last year’s World Series. That setback just created another obstacle for the veteran hurler, who ranks fourth among qualified MLB starters with the 3.45 ERA he has produced since he arrived in Houston at the start of the 2017 season.

Morton was 33 years old when he turned his career around with the Astros. He has made $72 million since pitching the final four innings of Houston’s Game 7 World Series win in 2017. Morton is also positioned to make another $20 million through a team option in 2023, when he’ll be 39.

“I really do feel better than I used to,” Morton said. “I feel better now than I did when I was in my late 20s and early 30s. That’s probably because of adjustments I’ve made with my workout routine. I focus more on my recovery.”

By shortening side sessions and running routines between starts, Morton has battled Father Time in the same successful manner that veterans like Max Scherzer, Verlander and Adam Wainwright have.

“I don’t look at myself like those guys,” Morton said. “When I came to the big leagues, they were already doing what they’re doing now. Those are the guys who are going to throw 180 or 200 innings in an era where you have to be an absolute stud to throw that many innings.”

Morton has averaged a little over six innings per outing over his past 12 starts. If he were to maintain this pace over the remainder of the season, he would finish with approximately 185 innings. R.A. Dickey (2017) and Derek Lowe are the only Braves pitchers 38 or older to throw more than 180 innings since John Smoltz eclipsed this total in ‘06 and ‘07.

With one more double-digit strikeout total this year, Morton will join Phil Niekro (1977) as the only Braves pitchers 38 or older to notch six such games in a season. However you look at it, this veteran seems to have more than enough to add to his October legend and extend his success beyond this year.

“Verlander and all the guys that pitch long, credit to them [for] the dedication to keep doing what they’re doing,” Snitker said. “These guys are dedicated to playing baseball.”