Fantasy Baseball: 10 Surprises So Far in 2017
Charlie Morton, SP, Houston Astros
Preseason ADP: 392.24
The Start
After throwing just 17.1 innings for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2016, the Houston Astros signed Charlie Morton to a two-year, $14 million deal last winter. That seemed a bit steep, but it's certainly paying off so far.
His 3.97 ERA isn't far off from what he's done recently throughout his career, but the 3.43 SIERA is a bit lower. He can thank his 10.72 strikeouts per nine innings rate through his first 45.1 frames, and the dude is just throwing straight cheddar these days.
He never averaged higher than 93.0 miles per hour on his fastball until last year, where he checked in at 94.3 miles per hour in a small sample size. It's held true so far this year, though, as he's 95.5 miles per hour on his heater. Morton has flirted with triple digits at times, and with some movement that's probably NSFW.
Charlie Morton showcasing 99mph with movement on the black pic.twitter.com/qwpupwJcaB
— Pitcher List (@ThePitcherList) May 15, 2017
How Sustainable Is it?
There are some red flags with what Morton has done so far this year.
Known to generate ground balls at a high rate, his current 51.2% ground-ball rate would be the lowest it's been since 2010. Furthermore, his 23.1% line-drive rate and 25.6% fly-ball rate would be the highest they've been since that year. To put a cherry on top, his 36.1% hard-hit rate allowed would be a single-season career high.
So, there are things to keep an eye on, but with velocity at a level we've never seen before and the strikeouts to boot (paired with a 10.1% swinging-strike rate), it's hard not to invest in him moving forward. Especially with a deep lineup supporting him.
