At the buzzer, the Detroit Tigers made a trade with the Baltimore Orioles to acquire right-handed starter Charlie Morton, according to MLB insider Mark Feinsand. In return, the Tigers will send pitching prospect Micah Ashman, who has a 1.49 ERA in 30 games between High-A and Double-A.
The 41-year-old Morton signed a one-year/$15,00,000 contract with the Orioles last offseason, and the buzz around him at the trade deadline grew larger.
Report: Tigers Trade for Charlie Morton from Orioles
Tigers reportedly acquire RHP Charlie Morton from the Orioles, per multiple reports including MLB’s @Feinsand. pic.twitter.com/DFFO9WqvVP
— MLB (@MLB) July 31, 2025
Morton was horrendous to begin the season, with the Orioles making him a bulk-inning bullpen arm for a portion of the year, but he has settled in since returning as a starter. He has been floating with an ERA of 3.62 since May, making him a somewhat intriguing asset at the deadline. With the Tigers just needing readily available arms at this point in the season, it’s understandable why they decided to take a “flyer” on a rental.
Charlie Morton since May 10:
3.62 ERA in 69 2/3 IP (14 starts)https://t.co/zSL816Ziee
— nugget chef (@jayhaykid) July 31, 2025
He does bring a lot of playoff experience with him to Detroit, but unless massive injuries take place, it’s highly unlikely Morton will be on the postseason roster. Nonetheless, he would be a great guy to have in the clubhouse and mentor the young talent on the Tigers’ 40-man roster.
Troy Melton will be moving to the bullpen, allowing Morton to become a starter. This seems like a great decision by the Tigers, as Melton can pitch in a “bulk” role for the Tigers down the stretch of the season. He has looked great in his first two starts, going seven scoreless against the Diamondbacks more recently.
Troy Melton has been moved to the bullpen to create a spot for Charlie Morton in the starting rotation, Scott Harris said. #Tigers https://t.co/MZB6njvYlx
— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) July 31, 2025
The Last Word
With Reese Olson and Jackson Jobe missing the rest of the regular season, and with Casey Mize battling some knee soreness, it’s understandable why the Tigers would make a small move like this one. Given the heavy lead in the division, the Tigers just need to find a way to make it to October healthy. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Tarik Skubal and Jack Flaherty pitching every sixth day just to make sure they are well prepared for a potential deep postseason run. This is where Charlie Morton fits into the equation. The Tigers won’t be asking him to do too much. Given the situation in Baltimore, Morton was relied upon to provide quality innings for the club, but the situation is different in Detroit.
Main Photo Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
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