Baltimore Orioles Move Struggling Starter to Bullpen Amid Fan Uproar

The Baltimore Orioles have decided to make a change with their starting rotation.

Apr 26, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Charlie Morton (50) delivers in the second inning against the Detroit Tigers during game two of a double header at Comerica Park. | David Reginek-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles came under scrutiny for how they handled business with their starting rotation during the winter.

Their ace in 2024, Corbin Burnes, hit free agency and the team wasn’t able to retain him. And instead of targeting another ace available on the market, the team decided to go in a different direction.

A quantity-over-quality sort of approach was used, opting to add as much depth to the mix as possible.

One of the pitchers they signed in free agency to help fill the Burnes void was veteran Charlie Morton.

The two sides agreed to a one-year, $15 million deal to help provide depth in the rotation behind Grayson Rodriguez and Zach Eflin.

Unfortunately, those two players both ended up on the injured list, pushing pitchers such as Morton and fellow free agent signing Tomoyuki Sugano into larger than anticipated roles.

Sugano has been everything the Orioles had hoped for and more after coming over from Japan where he had a lot of success. He has more than held his own in the transition, but the same cannot be said about Morton.

The 41-year-old has been woeful through his first seven appearances with a 9.45 ERA across 26.2 innings with 26 strikeouts. He has surrendered the most earned runs (28) and walks (21) in the MLB thus far this season.

His underwhelming performance has led to manager Brandon Hyde opting to make a change with his rotation, as shared by Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner.

Morton is going to be deployed out of the bullpen for the time being, a role that he began on Tuesday night against the New York Yankees.

In the short term, Brandon Hyde said he expects the Orioles to use Charlie Morton out of the bullpen, as he was used last night. They haven’t closed the door on him starting games in the future, but short spurts could help Morton stabilize

— Andy Kostka (@afkostka) April 30, 2025

Another veteran addition this winter, Kyle Gibson, made his 2025 Major Leauge debut but lasted only 3.2 innings after giving up five home runs and being charged with nine earned runs.

Morton was used as a piggyback option in mop-up duty behind him, throwing 2.1 innings and allowing only one unearned run just three days after his last outing.

Hyde did add that Morton could make a return to the starting rotation at some point in the future, but for now, the team believes the best option for him is to pitch in shorter spurts to help stabilize himself.

It will be interesting to see who the Orioles turn to in place of Morton for starts, as he was the bulk innings pitcher behind reliever Keegan Akin on April 26, the first sign that a change in his role could be on the horizon.