The Tigers have been walking a fine line in the AL Central and with the team’s lead shrinking by the day, the management decided it could no longer afford patience. The Tigers took a dramatic step with veteran $15M right-hander, who was a midseason acquisition and who has not fulfilled the expectations since arriving on the team.

The news broke Sunday when the Tigers officially designated Charlie Morton for assignment after the star’s rough stretch of starts. Morton is at 41 and was brought over from the Orioles at the trade deadline. However, in exchange, the Tigers had to send Minor League lefty Micah Ashman. And now, the outcomes are unattained. Instead, Charlie Morton went just 2-3 with a 7.09 ERA across nine starts, containing a disastrous outing against the Braves on Friday, where the veteran surrendered six runs in only 1 1/3 innings. FOX Sports highlighted this situation bluntly: “The Tigers have designated Charlie Morton for assignment. Morton had a 7.09 ERA through 9 starts after being acquired by Detroit at the trade deadline.”

While the DFA is headline-worthy on its own, the story goes deeper. As per insider Bob Nightengale, Charlie Morton could be getting ready for life after baseball. The star, who has pitched parts of 17 seasons in the majors, is seriously weighing whether this season will be his last. Nightengale said: “Veteran starter Charlie Morton, who has yielded a 7.09 ERA in his nine starts since joining the Detroit Tigers, may call it a career after this season.”

The timing of the team’s move leaves fans with multiple questions. Was Charlie Morton’s decline purely performance-based? Did whispers of retirement force the management to make the decision? And what does this mean for the team that saw its once-comfortable lead in the Central evaporate from 9.5 games at the start of September to just one game over the Guardians entering Sunday? The reality is that the Tigers had little choice but to act swiftly, specifically, with the division race tightening.

For now, Morton faces uncertainty. If no team takes a chance on him after his DFA, he could walk into retirement without another pitch thrown, ending a career defined as much by resilience as by results. In Morton’s place, the Tigers promoted Tanner Rainey from Triple-A Toledo. Rainey, 32, had a rocky stint with the Pirates earlier this season (10.57 ERA), but he’s found new life in Toledo, posting a 2.66 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings. Detroit hopes his fresh arm can stabilize a bullpen that’s been stretched thin.

The move to designate Charlie Morton for assignment not only marks a turning point for the pitcher but also signals just how urgent Detroit’s situation has become as they fight to protect their shrinking lead in the AL Central.

Tigers reeling as veteran ace expresses frustration ahead of DFA

Linking from Morton‘s designation for assignment, the emotional toll on both the pitcher and the team became evident in his own words. After a brutal outing against the Braves, Morton openly reflected on his struggles, showing just how much the Tigers relied on him — and how disappointed he felt in himself. “It’s heartbreaking. Getting to a place here in Detroit with a really good team, a team that traded for you and wants you to be here, and feeling like I was in a really good spot… Tonight, a really crucial time of the year and yeah, it’s heartbreaking. It’s really disappointing,” he admitted.

At 41, Morton’s decline has been clear: his velocity and signature curveball aren’t what they used to be, and command issues have compounded the problems. With Detroit’s division lead shrinking and the playoffs on the horizon, the Tigers could no longer shoulder the risk of relying on a veteran struggling at a critical time. His candid admission captures the frustration inside the clubhouse, underscoring the high stakes of the season’s final stretch and the pressures facing both the team and the pitcher himself.

Detroit’s decision to DFA Charlie Morton underscores the high stakes of the final stretch in the AL Central. With the veteran struggling and the division lead evaporating, the Tigers are forced to act decisively. As Morton contemplates his future, the team must rally behind fresh arms and consistent pitching to secure a playoff spot — proving that in baseball, tough choices often define a season’s fate.