Once again, the Atlanta Braves are experiencing turbulence in the starting rotation. Chris Sale has been as Cy Young-worthy as ever through 15 starts, posting a 2.52 ERA and 1.16 WHIP with 114 strikeouts in 89.1 innings.
But now he’s hurt, heading to the 15-day IL with a rib fracture. The Braves just can’t catch a break on the injury front.
Chris Sale really fractured his ribcage on this play… didn’t he pic.twitter.com/CigwmcJNmw https://t.co/jSiwFLzSNP
— Kevin Keneely (@KevinKeneely1) June 21, 2025
Atlanta turned to 20-year-old Didier Fuentes in Sale’s absence.
He’s a major talent with a bright future, but the success rate for 20-year-old pitchers at the MLB level is predictably scant.
Fuentes went five innings in his big-league debut this week, allowing six hits, one walk and four earned runs in a 6-2 loss to the Miami Marlins.
While the Braves would prefer to see Fuentes turn it around and punch his MLB ticket straight away, there’s a good chance Atlanta needs to demote him to Triple-A again before long.
Sale shouldn’t miss more than a few weeks, but with Reynaldo López still on the mend, AJ Smith-Shawver done for the season and Spencer Strider still battling the effects of Tommy John surgery, the Braves need depth. The sort of depth that can sustain a postseason run.
Why not trade for a former fan favorite at the deadline?
Braves should target Orioles’ Charlie Morton ahead of MLB trade deadline
Charlie Morton began his season abysmally with the Baltimore Orioles. Through the first few weeks of the season, it looked as though he was on his way out the door. Baltimore demoted him to the bullpen.
The 41-year-old couldn’t miss a bat to save his life.
Things have slowly but surely turned around for Morton, however. Over his last 10 appearances, including six starts, Morton has a 3.12 ERA and 3.09 FIP with 48 strikeouts in 40.1 innings.
While Morton is not the ace Baltimore needed after Corbin Burnes’ departure, he’s a totally functional mid-rotation option with a wealth of experience under his belt.
The 17-year vet spent the last four years of his career in Atlanta before inking a one-year, $15 million contract with the O’s. Baltimore has gradually turned its season around, but at 11 games below .500 and 6.5 games below fourth-place Boston in the AL East, it feels like too little too late.
The Orioles would be smart to sell high on a veteran rental like Morton and reset the deck for 2026. No team is more familiar and more comfortable with what Morton brings to the table than Atlanta.
Even if the results fluctuate, Morton has been remarkably durable over the years, despite his age. He made 30-plus starts in all four campaigns with the Braves.
He already has 17 appearances and 11 starts under his belt in 2025. Morton is someone the Braves can generally count on to eat innings and withstand the pressures of a 162-game grind.
Trading for Morton gives Atlanta a far better option than either Didier Fuentes or Bryce Elder in the short term.
Looking ahead, he would presumably transition to the bullpen come October, assuming Atlanta makes the playoffs. So Morton can help with starting depth now and give the Braves more bullpen bullets in the postseason. That feels like a win.
His presence in the locker room and ability to mentor younger arms is the cherry on top.
