Braves pitcher Charlie Morton gets standing ovation after potential final MLB start

ATLANTA (AP) — Atlanta Braves right-hander Charlie Morton got a standing ovation after pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings in what was potentially his final MLB appearance during Sunday’s season finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 41-year-old Morton, who debuted with the Braves in 2008, was signed by the team on Sept. 22 after being designated for assignment and released by the Detroit Tigers on Sept. 21.

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The Braves announced on Thursday that Morton would be the starter for Sunday’s finale, followed by left-hander Chris Sale. After allowing no runs on two hits over an inning-plus, Braves manager Brian Snitker pulled Morton, who finished his outing by striking out Alexander Canario. Morton waited for Sale to get to the mound from the bullpen so one veteran could hand the ball off to another.

Morton received cheers as he took the field, when he walked off the field after the first inning and had a minute-plus ovation when he was pulled in the second inning. As Morton warmed up ahead of the second inning, the Braves played highlights on the video board of him pitching on a broken leg in Game 1 of the 2021 World Series, which the Braves won.

When Snitker came onto the field to pull Morton, Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” played on the loudspeakers. As he exited the game, Morton hugged his teammates on the mound, his family in front of Atlanta’s dugout and teammates and coaches up and down the dugout. Morton received a curtain call.

It was Morton’s third career stint with the Braves. He was drafted by Atlanta in the third round (95th overall) of the 2002 draft. Morton made his MLB debut with Atlanta in 2008 and from 2009 to 2020 pitched for the Pirates, Phillies, Astros and Rays before returning to Atlanta for the 2021-24 seasons.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

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