Cubs Might Find Shocking Trade Candidate in Orioles’ Charlie Morton originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Several names have been tossed around as potential fits for the Chicago Cubs’ unsteady rotation: Mitch Keller, Andrew Heaney, Zach Eflin, etc. There are several quality hurlers the Cubs can choose from, but there is another emerging name that has surfaced, a pitcher who has had some stunning recent success. And that pitcher is – Charlie Morton? Let’s back up a little.
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At age 41, having pitched 18 years in the Majors and throwing to a laggardly 5.63 ERA for the Baltimore Orioles this year, it would seem Morton is anything but ‘emerging.’ But none of this tells the full story. According to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, Morton is quickly becoming a compelling trade chip.
“Don’t look now, but the symbol of the Orioles’ early collapse, right-hander Charlie Morton, is emerging as a legitimate trade candidate,” Rosenthal wrote in The Athletic. “Morton, 41, lost his spot in the rotation after posting a 10.89 ERA in his first five starts. But since returning to the rotation for good on May 26, his ERA in six starts is 2.90. He also has struck out 37 in 31 innings. The biggest concern for a team interested in acquiring Morton might be paying the balance of his $15 million salary. At the deadline, he still would be owed nearly $5 million.”
Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer talks to the media after introducing pitcher Shota Imanaga (not pictured) during a press conference at Loews Chicago Hotel. Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Morton may be too far past his prime to post the 3.05 ERA he put up in 2019, but it was only in 2023 when he finished with an ERA of 3.64. He is far from being a risk-free option, but if he can keep up his resurgence, he might be a solid mid-rotation arm once again.
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Related: Cubs’ Kyle Tucker Admits ‘There’s Some Other Stuff’ to Consider in Free Agency
Related: Cubs Reportedly Calling Teams to Find Matt Shaw’s Replacement Ahead of MLB Trade Deadline
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.