Charlie Morton of the Braves is out for the NLDS due to a finger injury following a 15-day IL.
The starting pitcher Charlie Morton of the Atlanta Braves was placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to September 23, due to inflammation in his right index finger. This news put the team’s hopes of winning the World Series in jeopardy.
Because those rosters must be finalised before he is eligible to return, that means he will not be able to participate in the NLDS.
When the NLDS began, Morton, 39, was predicted to be Atlanta’s third starter. However, after being pulled from his Friday night start against the Washington Nationals after the first inning, he informed reporters that he anticipated spending time on the injured list.
“This is more a question about effectiveness,” he stated. “I have pitching ability. I mean, I can go out there and pitch, but if I had to guess, I’m going to make my next start in the postseason. In late May or early August, it’s not a game. It is going to be the most significant of the year. That’s when the confusion and frustration start to surface.”
Throughout the season, he has been a reliable pitcher for the Braves, going 14–12 with a 3.64 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, and 183 strikeouts in 163.1 innings.
Throughout his career, he has also performed admirably in the postseason, posting a 7-5 record, 3.60 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, and 92 strikeouts in 80 innings.
Bryce Elder, who was placed on the 15-day injured list earlier in the week due to a blister on his left index finger, is expected to start in his place as the third starter behind Max Fried and Spencer Strider. It is anticipated that he will be prepared for the postseason.
However, Atlanta’s rotation is now seriously under doubt. After dominating in the first half of the season to secure a spot in the All-Star Game, Elder, 24, has struggled in his subsequent 13 starts, posting a 5.40 ERA.
The Braves’ NLDS opponent would probably be determined by how the Wild Card standings pan out, with the Phillies or Diamondbacks from Arizona likely to host. The Braves are 3-3 against the Diamondbacks and 8-5 against the Phillies, who eliminated them from the postseason the previous year.
The Miami Marlins and Chicago Cubs are two more potential rivals.
