Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
If there is one player to take a shot on this week in deeper fantasy baseball leagues it is Pittsburgh Pirates SP Charlie Morton.
Morton was just activated from the 60-day disabled list this month after missing almost an entire year following Tommy John surgery. Most owners haven’t even noticed that he has returned yet, so now is the time to scoop up this reliable vet.
Charlie Mo-Town currently has a sizzling 2.81 ERA in 16 innings since returning to action. He has held opposing hitters to a mere .230 batting average and the 29-year-old is quickly making up for lost time.
However, in Morton’s most recent start versus the Los Angeles Angels, he endured some shaky defensive play behind him. He lasted just 5.1 innings and gave up six runs, but only three of them were earned due to countless errors by the defense. Morton also walked five batters in the contest, so his command was not exactly the best in the game.
Don’t let this rough outing deter you from adding the right-hander off the wavier wire, though, because he has some real potential. He has draw vast comparisons to Philadelphia Phillies SP Roy Halladay throughout his entire career. He works fast from the bump and has very similar stuff. Morton, much like Doc Halladay, relies heavily on his fastball, but also mixes in a nasty curveball to keep hitters honest. Morton is a true fireball pitcher.
Morton can be a valuable bench option in leagues with over 10 owners. If he is on the wavier wire in your league, take a shot on him for a couple weeks. After all, it beats picking up Seattle Mariners SP Brandon Maurer for the third time this season.
Adam McGill is the Senior Fantasy Sports Writer at Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @adammcgill83, like him on Facebook, or add him to you networks on Google here or here.
