Tigers Add Pitcher Charlie Morton From Orioles in Final Seconds Before Trade Deadline

The Tigers landed the 41-year-old starting pitcher before the buzzer went off.

Orioles pitcher Charlie Morton was dealt to the Tigers ahead of the trade deadline. / Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images

One minute before the MLB's trade deadline on Thursday at 6 p.m. ET, insider Jon Heyman tweeted that the Tigers were still "working hard" to lock down a starting pitcher. For a moment, it seemed that maybe Detroit ran out of time.

That was until the news dropped that the Tigers landed starting pitcher Charlie Morton from the Orioles, as reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan. The 41-year-old is in his 18th MLB season and now will play for his eighth MLB team.

The Tigers are dominating the AL Central so far this season with a 64–46 record and nine-game lead over the Guardians in second place. Adding another starting or relieving pitcher was high on the Tigers' to-do list before the deadline.

In 23 games and 17 starts this season for the Orioles, Morton has posted a 5.42 ERA, which is his highest since his rookie season in 2008. He's in somewhat of a slump, but maybe a new environment will create a spark for his pitching game.

Morton has thrown 101.1 innings, throwing 101 strikeouts while giving up 110 hits, 61 earned runs and 16 home runs.

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