Astros: Charlie Morton, the Unsung Hero of the World Series

CharliMorton signed in the offseason as a middle-man in the rotation. Last night, he closed out the Astros first World Series win in franchise history.

This result was much sought after while he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates. However, after some struggles, Tommy John Surgery and restructuring his pitching mechanics, Charlie Morton has found a home in Houston. Better yet, he is the unsung hero of this World Series.

Astros Show Interest

Charlie Morton made 4 @MLB starts in ’16, became a free agent. “I talked to my agent and said, ‘Do you think anyone [will be] interested?’”
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 2, 2017

Morton was a sinker-ball pitcher, generating a lot of ground balls. This is a recipe for success with the Astros defense. However, he was not sure any teams would take a chance on him. At 33, Charlie was at a crossroads of his career. Jeff Luhnow saw something in him. The organization extended an offer to the journeyman, and the rest is history.

Morton Performs

Morton went 14-7 with a 3.62 ERA in 146.2 innings pitched during the regular season. He surpassed many expectations placed upon him by critics, fans and all observers. His philosophy was simple, throw hard and spin the baseball. For the most part, it was effective. His efforts during the regular season earned him a spot in the rotation for the postseason.

Morton Shines

After shaky starts on the road in the ALDS and ALCS, Morton started game 7 of the ALCS. He pitched five scoreless innings and showed great poise and control throughout the game. Charlie took the mound in Game 4 of this World Series. He pitched well, allowing only one run on one hit in 6.1 innings pitched.

Charlie Morton’s last 3 trips to the mound: 14 1/3 IP, 15 K’s, just 7 hits and 2 runs. The real Mr. October!
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) November 2, 2017

Last night, Morton carried this team to victory. Numerous times throughout his appearance, he threw 98-99 mph fastballs. He kept hitters off-balance and improved inning after inning. Most importantly, he threw quality pitches consistently, limiting the power of the Dodgers lineup.

Charlie Morton threw 5 pitches 98 MPH+ that inning... He only threw 5 that hard all season
— Daren Willman (@darenw) November 2, 2017

Next: George Springer is my World Series MVP

Something to Prove

First, let’s take a moment to remember this signing. He was unsure he would get a call. However, the Astros extended their hand. From that moment, he became a man on a mission. Last night’s performance proved that. He threw every pitch with conviction, and would not be denied a victory. Charlie Morton took this personally, and it’s his performance that makes him the unsung hero of this series.

***Stats and Data courtesy of Baseball Reference and MLB.com***

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