ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The Tampa Bay Rays have agreed to a two-year, $30 million contract with free agent right-handed pitcher Charlie Morton. The contract includes a club option for the 2021 season.
Morton, 35, went 15-3 with a 3.13 ERA (167-IP, 58-ER) and 201 strikeouts in 30 starts with the Houston Astros last season. He led the majors with an .833 winning pct. and ranked among American League leaders in wins (tied for 10th), ERA (seventh), opponents' batting average (.213, fifth) and strikeouts per nine innings (10.83, fifth). His 15 wins, 3.13 ERA, 30 starts and 201 strikeouts were all career bests. The 11-year veteran was added to the AL All-Star Team as an injury replacement, his first career selection. His average fastball velocity, according to FanGraphs, was 95.7 mph, fourth in the AL.
In two seasons with the Astros, Morton went 29-10 with a 3.36 ERA (313.2-IP, 117-ER) and 364 strikeouts in 55 starts. Over the last two seasons, he ranks fourth among AL pitchers in winning pct. (.744, min. 20 decisions), is tied for fith in wins and tied for eighth in strikeouts. Over that span, among AL pitchers with at least 300 IP, he ranks sixth in opponents' batting average (.220) and ninth in ERA. Morton has pitched in three postseasons, including twice with the Astros the last two years. In 2017, he earned the win in Game 7 of both the ALCS and World Series, becoming the first pitcher in major league history to win two Game 7s in a single postseason. In the 2017 World Series, he recorded a 1.74 ERA (10.1-IP, 2-ER), allowing only five hits and one walk with 11 strikeouts.
Morton was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the third round of the 2002 June Draft out of Joel Barlow High School in Redding, Conn. In 11 seasons in the majors with the Braves (2008), Pittsburgh Pirates (2009-15), Philadelphia Phillies (2016) and Astros (2017-18), he is 75-81 with a 4.23 ERA (1,206.2-IP, 567-ER) in 217 appearances (216 starts). Min. 1,000 IP, his 55.1 pct. ground ball rate ranks fourth among active pitchers, according to Stats LLC. Morton and his wife, Cindy, reside in Bradenton with their four children.
This marks the third time under Stuart Sternberg's ownership group the Rays signed a player who was an All-Star the season prior. The club signed catcher Wilson Ramos following the 2016 season and right-handed relief pitcher Grant Balfour following the 2013 season.