HOUSTON (AP) – Right-hander Charlie Morton agreed to a contract with Houston on Wednesday, giving the Astros two of the best groundball pitchers in the majors.
Morton agreed to a two-year, $14 million deal that includes bonuses of $625,000 each for 12, 20, 25 and 30 starts each season.
Morton, who ranks second in the majors among active pitchers in career groundball to fly ball ratio (2.48), joins a staff that features last year’s American League Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel, a lefty who leads the league in that category (2.84).
“I think that’s where the match comes, his ability to get the ball on the ground and our ability to position our fielders and get the outs on the ground,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “We’re getting pretty good at that. So it seems like a perfect fit for us.”
Morton made just four starts last season for the Phillies before a torn left hamstring which required surgery ended his year. It was the fourth surgery Morton has had in recent years including Tommy John surgery in 2012. But he said Wednesday that he’s healthy now and has thrown six bullpen sessions since recovering from his hamstring injury, including three where he threw more than 50 pitches.