PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. -- Charlie Morton toed the rubber on field No. 5 at the Charlotte Sports Park on Sunday, flanked by teammates, coaches and a TrackMan Portable. Typical simulated games see another pitcher take the mound for his own session when Morton -- or whoever is featured -- retires the side, but coming off a split-squad Saturday, Tampa Bay didn’t have many options to do so.

Though the mound was vacant during what would have been the bottom half of an inning, Morton still went through his downtime stretching, putting on a hoodie, running through the motions of his rest period and self-evaluating with new catcher Chris Herrmann -- who he was throwing to for the first time -- to try to make the environment as real as possible.

“That’s basically what I was doing, staying mobile,” Morton said. “And sprightly.”

This path was chosen to give Morton a more controlled environment to build up for the regular season, as opposed to pitching in what became a 2-2 tie with the Pirates on Sunday. Behind him, pitching coach Kyle Snyder voiced any concerns that arose since “some bad habits you can get to [and fix] early,” Morton said.

The results were as desired. Morton increased his pitch count and used all four pitches with little concern for the unpredictability of a Spring Training game, something players tend to need less as they extend their careers.

“And I didn’t hit any of our guys,” he deadpanned. “Came close.”

What’s next is another simulated game, followed by one final Grapefruit League outing before the likely but yet-to-be-official scenario of the first Opening Day nod in his 13-year career. That start would be against the team he would have faced Sunday, and one he spent seven seasons with, but tipping his hand too early was no reason for not facing Pittsburgh, the Rays said.

“It’d be special. It’s an honor,” Morton said. “It’s something that most guys will tell you that they’d like to do it at least once.”

The Rays are unlikely to stray from Morton or Tyler Glasnow -- also a former Pirate -- for their Opening Day starter, especially since Blake Snell received a cortisone injection in his left elbow on Feb. 28, temporarily stunting his build-up. Snell is scheduled to return to the mound Monday and pitch an inning against the Blue Jays in Dunedin, Fla.

They’re giving both pitchers every opportunity to get themselves ready for whichever is called upon. Glasnow, coming off a right flexor strain that stunted his 2019 season before a playoff return, has learned from Morton, a creature of habit in the middle of a late-career renaissance.

“He’s very seasoned in his approach. Not too much, not too little,” Glasnow said. “He’s found his niche of how to get ready. … I think it’s a good example for all the guys here.”

The two, in chorus with Snell, the 2018 American League Cy Young Award winner, Yonny Chirinos and Ryan Yarbrough -- along with two-way threat Brendan McKay (the No. 15 prospect in baseball, per MLB Pipeline) likely mixed in -- are primed to help make up a fierce rotation. Tampa Bay was busy this winter, primarily making additions on offense and defense, with the expectation that its holdover starters will be team anchors.

Morton, 36, can lead that charge. Coming off a career year -- a third-place finish in AL Cy Young voting thanks to a 3.05 ERA, 2.81 FIP and 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings -- the Rays believe they’re giving him every chance for success again in 2020 through his Spring Training regimen.

But Morton won’t have to be alone. He’s the likely Opening Day starter, but if not, Glasnow can be right there with very little drop off in production.

“Ask [Gerrit] Cole if he wants to come over,” Glasnow joked.