Former Giants SF prospect receives harsh end of heartwarming Charlie Morton roster move

In the final week of the season, the Atlanta Braves signed veteran pitcher Charlie Morton to a major league deal. To create space on the roster, former SF Giants prospect Carson Ragsdale was designated for assignment.

Former Giants SF prospect receives harsh end of heartwarming Charlie Morton roster move

Morton is in his 18th year. He began the season with the Baltimore Orioles after signing a one-year, $15 million deal.

However, the right-handed pitcher was shipped to Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline in exchange for minor league pitcher Micah Ashman. Morton made seven appearances with Detroit, but struggled to a 7.09 ERA before being designated for assignment.

When the Tigers acquired Morton, they had a firm grasp of first place in the AL Central. Morton and Chris Paddack were added at the deadline, but neither move has panned out. In that time, the Tigers hit a nosedive in the standings and have since been surpassed by the Cleveland Guardians. As of Thursday afternoon, the Guardians are one game ahead of the Tigers in the division.

Morton signing with the Braves could provide a cool bookend to a long and successful career. He was originally drafted by Atlanta in the third round of the 2002 draft out of Joel Barlow High School in Redding, Connecticut.

The veteran pitcher began his career with the Braves in 2008 and returned to the organization in recent seasons. This includes helping the Braves to their first World Series title in nearly 30 years. For years, Morton has hinted at retirement, but has continued to get opportunities to help teams. He is in his age-41 season, so the idea of retirement is likely not all that far off.

On the other side of the transaction, Carson Ragsdale was designated for assignment. The young righty was placed on waivers by the Giants in August. He was claimed off waivers by the Orioles and made his debut earlier this month. He struggled during his one outing with Baltimore before he was put back on waivers.

Around the same time, the Braves added Ragsdale and Brett Wisely on waiver claims. Oddly enough, the Orioles reclaimed Ragsdale off waivers on Thursday. He has been placed on waivers three times this year and has been claimed all three times.

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