After a disappointing 2022, Charlie Morton’s 2023 has been a roller coaster. He scuffled through his first four starts of the year, giving the impression that perhaps Father Time was taking a heavy toll... but then quickly righted the ship and went on a strong 14-start run where he dominated far more frequently than he faltered. On July 14, his pitching triple-slash was a real good 72 ERA-, 86 FIP-, and 89 xFIP-, and it looked like he had given Father Time the slip yet again.
But then, suddenly, disaster struck. Hitters seemed to key in on the fact that his entire approach was now oriented around getting chases on an elite curveball, and began to wait out a much more hittable four-seamer instead.