SF Giants rumors: Buster Olney links Giants to another 40-something pitcher

It is no secret that the SF Giants are in the market for a starting pitcher ahead of the trade deadline. Ahead of San Francisco's game against the New York Mets on Sunday, ESPN reporter Buster Olney said the team could go after veteran Charlie Morton.

Olney did not say that the Giants were in active talks with the Baltimore Orioles for Morton, but it more seemed to be him thinking Morton would make sense for a team like the Giants in need of starting pitching.

SF Giants seen as potential fit for Charlie Morton by Buster Olney

Morton is 41 years old and has been pitching in the big leagues since 2008. This season with Baltimore in 22 appearances and 95 and 1/3 innings pitched, Morton has an ERA of 5.48 with 95 strikeouts and 45 walks with a WHIP of 1.54.

Those numbers are not all that impressive, but his last seven starts have been better. In those starts he has a 4-1 record with a 3.89 ERA. Morton had an impressive outing his last time out and he has really raised his trade value over the last month or two.

Baltimore is currently in last place in the American League East division so they are in a position to sell ahead of the deadline.

Starting pitching is not the only need for San Francisco right now, but with Hayden Birdsong's demotion, Justin Verlander's struggles, and Landen Roupp landing on the IL (although it may not be super serious), they could really use an extra arm in the rotation.

It would be pretty funny if the Giants did swing a trade for Morton and had a starting rotation with a 41 year old and 42 year old in it with Verlander. That is a lot of experience to have, but it also invites the possibility of one or both of them going down with an injury.

There are other options for the Giants out there in the trade market, but Morton may be on the cheaper side since he is older and is on a one-year deal so he will be a free agent after the season and would just be a rental for San Francisco.

Morton would not be the most exciting trade deadline acquisition Buster Posey could make, but he would at least give the Giants another arm in their rotation who has been pitching a lot better as of late and has a good amount of playoff experience. We will see if Olney is right and the Giants try to trade for him.

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