Last active Richmond Brave Charlie Morton reflects on 18-year career after trade to Tigers

RICHMOND, Va. — Charlie Morton, a 41-year-old pitcher in his 18th major league season, has already exceeded any reasonable expectation of a big league career. The veteran right-hander, who signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles after his second stint in Atlanta, was recently traded to the Detroit Tigers, marking his seventh MLB team.

Morton holds a unique distinction as the last former Richmond Brave still active at any level of professional baseball. However, he nearly lost that status earlier this year when his season with the Orioles began disastrously.

After losing his first six starts and posting an ERA above 10, Morton was relegated to the Orioles' bullpen to work on his mechanics. Despite this setback, he maintained perspective.

"I think we have the tendency to amplify the negative and I certainly did that probably in my own mind this year," Morton said. "But it's like I look back and in reality like April was a bad month, but it was one month."

The struggles weren't just about his on-field performance. At this stage in his career, Morton wrestles with the sacrifice of being away from his family.

"My time as currency, I'm investing it to be here instead of with my wife and kids. So I think that's what was difficult," Morton said.

Morton's early-season struggles mirrored the beginning of his professional journey. Before reaching the majors in 2008, he hadn't distinguished himself in the minor leagues.

"I stunk in High A and then AA was I was in and out of the rotation. I spent a lot of time in the bullpen then towards the end of the year I started to figure it out," Morton said. "AAA for me was a really big deal. I think I kind of started to figure some things out and then I remember when I got called up feeling like I was pretty well prepared."

The moment he learned about his promotion to the majors remains vivid in his memory.

"Our manager called like a team meeting on the right field line, and he basically announced to the team and to me at the same time, which I thought was so cool that I was going to the big leagues," Morton said. "It seemed like a lifetime ago. It does."

All these experiences have helped Morton navigate big league life longer than most players. When interviewed the day before the trade deadline, with his name prominently mentioned in rumors, Morton demonstrated his ability to embrace uncertainty.

"What are you gonna do? Are you just gonna avoid uncomfortable things for the rest of your life and not grow?" Morton said. "I guess I have trust and faith that you just keep going and you give it your best and you try to be a good person along the way and do the right thing and hopefully the chips fall where they should."

Whether Morton returns for a 19th season remains to be seen, but when he does step away, it will officially close the record book on the Richmond Braves.

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