Who will take the ball for the Atlanta Braves this season after the departure of starting pitcher Max Fried?

Beyond Chris Sale, Reynaldo López, and Spencer Schwellenbach, the Braves don’t have obvious fits for the back end of the rotation. Spencer Strider will eventually rejoin the mix, but he’s expected to miss the start of the season after undergoing elbow surgery last April.

Charlie Morton, who will be 41 in 2025, has endeared himself to Braves fans over the last four seasons as a reliable veteran arm and valuable sounding board for young pitchers on the Atlanta staff.

Though his production tailed off in 2024, Morton could still have something left in the tank. And seeing as the Braves haven’t eagerly pursued more expensive free agents, he might be their best bet to shore up the rotation, especially before Strider’s return.

That seems to be the thinking of Braves beat reporter Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Bowman recently named Morton as the Braves’ “most realistic” potential free-agent signing for the rest of this winter.

“The Braves have understandably looked at other options, but they might eventually have to come back to the 41-year-old Charlie Morton, who has made it clear he’s open to pitching at least one more season,” Bowman said.

“Morton has been a key piece of Atlanta’s rotation each of the past four seasons, and he has aided the development of young starters like Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach. He might no longer be a frontline starter, but with a one-year deal worth approximately $10 million, he could provide the Braves some needed insurance in their rotation.”

Morton had a 4.19 ERA and 4.46 FIP in 30 starts for the Braves last season. He has a 45-34 record and 3.87 ERA since rejoining the Braves in 2021, and was a valuable member of the rotation that won that year’s World Series.

Is it worth a one-year deal for the Braves to add this aging star? That’s a question best asked of Alex Anthopoulos and the front office.