Pittsburgh Pirates: 5 Pitchers that Broke the Hearts of Fans Since 2005

After being activated from the DL in 2013, Morton secured his first win of the season in a shutout against the Cincinnati Reds. Despite missing the beginning of the year Morton a 7-4 had a 3.26 ERA in 26 starts. On December 11, 2013, Morton inked a three-year extension with the Pirates, including a club option for the 2017 season. However, his 2014 campaign was hampered by injuries, and he was placed on the DL with right hip inflammation. Morton's season ended prematurely when he required hip surgery. For the 2014 season, he would pitch well once again earning a 3.72 ERA before the hip injury popped up.

This would also hamped him into 2015. He would undergo offseaosn surgery to help correct his hip issue. However, this would hamped him leading into the 2015 season. He would only make 23 starts and finish with an ERA just under 5. The Bucs decided that they needed to move on from Morton that following offseason and traded him to the Phillies.

Morton's career as a Pirate was very up and down. He pitched relatively well in Black and Gold, but injuries were consistently taking away too many innings for a player with that large of a contract. Obviously, hips, knees, elbows, and shoulders are all things that usually do not improve with age, but rather the opposite.

It was a mistake, Morton would go on to become a multiple World Series Champion. He would earn 2 All-Star appearances and finish 3rd for the Cy Young Award in 2019. That is the heartbreaking part about Charlie Morton. He had a nice career here in Pittsburg, everyone knew of his "electric stuff", but as always that success showed up elsewhere.