Red Sox Rumors: Deal For Rising Trade Chip From AL East Rival Possible

So you’re saying there’s a chance? The Boston Red Sox’s quest to upgrade the pitching staff ahead of the July 31 MLB trade deadline could take the club to Baltimore.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports Orioles right-hander Charlie Morton remains a real “possibility” for Red Sox.

“One of many Orioles on an expiring contract, Morton suddenly looks like an attractive chip,” Rosenthal wrote Thursday.

“Yes, the Red Sox would love to do better, and perhaps they will,” Rosenthal continued. “But the starting pitching market is thin and Sox manager Alex Cora is familiar with Morton from the 2017 Houston Astros.

“With Brayan Bello and Lucas Giolito both on a roll, perhaps the Sox would be OK with someone like Morton rather than a pure (and possibly unattainable) No. 2 starter,” Rosenthal concluded.

Rumors linking the Red Sox to Morton have been making the rounds for a while now. But with the season-ending knee injury to Hunter Dobbins, Boston could use a fresh arm for the starting rotation.

So why Morton?

“Morton, 41, was the symbol of the Orioles’ early-season collapse, posting a 10.89 ERA in his first five starts,” Rosenthal noted. “But over his last 59 innings, dating to April 29, his ERA is 3.05.”

On top of that, Morton, who’s making $15 million this season, will be a free agent after the World Series, making him nothing more than a short-term rental. That should lower the cost Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow would have to pay Baltimore in a potential deal.

Morton is an 18-year MLB veteran and carries a lifetime 4.06 ERA. He’s scheduled to get the ball Friday when the Orioles return from the All-Star break against the Tampa Bay Rays.