Charlie Morton, Atlanta Braves. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
The Atlanta Braves have no choice but to replace Charlie Morton in the World Series rotation.
Despite getting their first World Series game victory in 25 years, the Atlanta Braves are now without their ace Charlie Morton for the rest of the postseason.
Atlanta defeated the Houston Astros 6-2 on Tuesday night, but Morton exited the game with a leg fracture suffered off a line drive. He stayed in the ballgame and retired three more Astros hitters before the pain became unmanageable. With left-hander Tucker Davidson now taking his spot on the Braves’ World Series roster, here is who could be getting the start in Game 4 Saturday night.
Max Fried will be Atlanta’s Game 2 starter in Houston on Wednesday night and Ian Anderson will be the Braves’ Game 3 starter in Atlanta on Friday evening.
Atlanta Braves: 3 pitchers who could start Game 4 instead of Charlie Morton
3
Kyle Wright
RHP Atlanta Braves
Kyle Wright should only be the Game 4 starter in an absolute worst case scenario
While it was highly questionable to have struggling right-hander Kyle Wright on the Braves’ World Series roster to begin with, he is on the roster. Though his role is probably more of the mop-up variety if a game gets out of hand, Wright is a former first-round pick out of Vanderbilt and prized prospect in the Braves organization. Unfortunately, he has not lived up to his lofty draft status.
Even if Wright is capable of going multiple innings, he should only pitch in this series if the Braves are either up big or trailing by a massive deficit in a ballgame. His 9.95 ERA in 6.1 innings pitched this year and his career 6.56 ERA tells you everything you need to know. However, there is still value in having a pitcher eat innings to save a strong Atlanta bullpen from becoming exhausted.
If the Braves were to start Wright in Game 4 on Saturday night, Games 2 and 3 went to hell in a hand basket. That would mean Fried and/or Anderson stunk and the bullpen is cooked. Though adding Davidson to the roster probably ensures he will get a start at some point in this series, the Braves can technically role with Wright if they do not want to go with a bullpen game entirely.
Keep in mind that Wright is on this World Series roster to do what Jacob Webb did in the NLCS.