The Detroit Tigers’ playoff push has hit a brutal snag, and much of it ties back to a trade deadline decision that now looks like a clear miscalculation. On Sunday, the club designated veteran starter Charlie Morton for assignment, ending a disastrous stint that saw the 41-year-old post a 7.09 ERA in nine appearances after being acquired from the Baltimore Orioles.
According to The Athletic, manager A.J. Hinch broke the news to Morton in a private meeting away from the ballpark, a conversation that stretched nearly two hours. The two go back to their time together with the Houston Astros, where Morton famously closed out the 2017 World Series. But sentiment couldn’t change the reality that Morton had become a liability. His final outing—six runs allowed in just 1 1/3 innings against the Atlanta Braves—sealed his fate.
A Move That Never Made Sense
When Detroit landed Morton at the deadline, the idea was straightforward: add postseason-tested stability to a rotation that was showing cracks. Initially, the gamble looked smart. Morton debuted with a strong outing against the Phillies, and the Tigers talked openly about how his experience could steady them in the stretch run.
But underneath the surface, there were red flags the front office should not have ignored. Morton was already carrying a 5.89 ERA on the season before the deal, and his command had been slipping. Scouts noted his once-devastating curveball had lost its bite, and his velocity was dipping. Expecting a pitcher in his 18th season to suddenly rediscover form under late-season pressure was more wishful thinking than sound roster strategy.
The results were predictable. Over his last five starts, Morton logged an 11.60 ERA, with every appearance ending in a Tigers loss. His strike-throwing became unreliable, with 23 walks across just 39 1/3 innings. Hinch admitted that the coaching staff debated moving him into a bullpen role, but with the division lead evaporating and every game carrying October implications, the team ultimately couldn’t afford to wait.
A Costly Deadline Misstep
The fallout from the Morton experiment extends beyond his numbers. The Tigers surrendered resources to bring him in at the deadline, hoping to separate themselves in the AL Central. Instead, their lead has shrunk to a single game over the surging Cleveland Guardians. Detroit’s best-in-the-league record just weeks ago now feels like a distant memory as the team scrambles to hold onto a playoff spot.
Morton, for his part, was candid about his struggles. “It’s heartbreaking,” he said after Friday’s loss to Atlanta. “Getting to a place here in Detroit with a really good team, a team that traded for you and wants you to be here, and feeling like I was in a really good spot… Tonight, a really crucial time of the year and yeah, it’s heartbreaking. It’s really disappointing.”
Heartbreaking, yes—but also avoidable. Morton is one of the game’s most respected veterans, with an 18-year career that includes two All-Star nods and a World Series ring. Yet the decline was evident long before Detroit brought him aboard. A team fighting for its first division title in over a decade couldn’t afford to gamble on nostalgia.
In Morton’s place, the Tigers promoted reliever Tanner Rainey, whose swing-and-miss fastball offers at least some hope for late-inning stability. Still, the move leaves Detroit thin in the rotation, forced to rely heavily on Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, and Casey Mize down the stretch.
The Tigers took a big swing at the deadline and missed. Now, with Morton gone and the Guardians charging, they’re left to wonder if the cost of that mistake will be missing October entirely.
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