Orioles' Morton: Free-agent process 'not ideal'

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Charlie Morton thinks the allure of becoming a free agent is overstated.

"To me, it's not ideal," according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale. "I get why guys feel the need to drive the market, a responsibility and obligation to try to get as much they can for other guys," Morton said.

"Really, I get the whole thing. I just wish there were more guys sticking around their ballclubs, especially if they feel good about the teams they're with. I know plenty of guys that do devote themselves to the team, and they would take less money to stay."

Morton signed a one-year deal with the Orioles during the offseason to join the sixth team of his career. The 41-year-old has reached free agency four times and says each one has been just as stressful as the others.

"When I get into a room with a room full of guys, I want to devote myself to that group, that organization. And over time, when you're always on different teams, it takes its toll," Morton said.

Morton's comments come after numerous players recently signed contract extensions to avoid testing free agency. The $500-million commitment from the Toronto Blue Jays to first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was the most lucrative of the deals handed out.

Meanwhile, first baseman Pete Alonso struggled to find a solid market for his services in the offseason, eventually returning to the New York Mets on a two-year, $54-million deal that he can opt out of following the 2025 campaign.

"I mean, it's exciting because of the possibilities, right?" Morton said of the free-agent process. "Maybe you get a chance to put on a uniform of the team you always wanted to wear, or a chance for a fresh start, but I've always wanted to be a guy that wanted to be in the same place."