The Atlanta Braves closed out their 2025 season with an emotional 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates — a game that doubled as a farewell to 18-year veteran Charlie Morton.
Morton took the mound one final time, recording four outs before manager Brian Snitker emerged from the dugout. As Morton handed over the ball, Truist Park rose to its feet in a standing ovation, showering the right-hander with appreciation for his contributions over the years. Waiting for him near the dugout was his family, making the moment even more special as Morton walked off the field for the last time.
Charlie Morton is greeted by his family on the field after walking off the mound for the final time this season 🫶 pic.twitter.com/i51LySgH72
— MLB (@MLB) September 28, 2025
Chris Sale relieved Morton and delivered a vintage performance, tossing 5.2 innings of one-run ball with nine strikeouts. It’s unfortunate Sale was sidelined midseason with a fractured rib cage, as he had a legitimate chance to challenge Paul Skenes for back-to-back NL Cy Young Awards. Had he stayed healthy, the conversation surrounding the Braves’ 2025 campaign might look very different today.
Offensively, the Braves didn’t do much, but they didn’t need to. Ronald Acuña Jr. set the tone early with a mammoth 451-foot two-run homer in the first inning, and Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin added RBIs later to secure the 4-1 victory in the season finale.
It was an emotional end to a season most of Braves Country would prefer to forget. The win did come at a small cost, though. Entering Sunday, Atlanta had the fourth-best odds at landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft (just over 9%). The victory dropped them to the sixth-best odds, giving them a 4.54% chance at the top selection.
Chicago White Sox — 27.73%
Minnesota Twins — 22.73%
Pittsburgh Pirates — 16.81%
Baltimore Orioles — 9.24%
Oakland Athletics — 6.55%
Atlanta Braves — 4.54%
Tampa Bay Rays — 3.03%
St. Louis Cardinals — 2.35%
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Photo: John Adams/Icon Sportswire