HOUSTON – If the Braves win the World Series, they’ll do it without their veteran ace.
Charlie Morton suffered a fractured fibula in his Game 1 start Tuesday against the Astros, ending his season. Morton traveled to Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Wednesday to meet with specialist Dr. Robert Anderson. The injury cast a cloud over the Braves’ 6-2 win.
“Charlie is irreplaceable,” reliever Luke Jackson said. “He’s our ace. He’s the veteran. He’s probably like the most beautiful person on the inside and the outside I’ve ever met. Losing him in the clubhouse is probably even bigger than losing him on the mound, to be honest. Hopefully, he’ll get back here soon. I know he’s in Green Bay right now. We all sent him a text. He’s probably getting blown up right now. I haven’t had a chance to talk to him on the phone yet, but I can’t wait to see him and give him a hug.”
An injury isn’t anything new for the Braves. Morton’s fracture is just the latest bout of adversity to hit his team, which nonetheless is three wins away from its second championship in Atlanta.
Lefty Tucker Davidson replaced Morton on the roster. In a season of the unconventional, Davidson fits right in. He pitched in four games earlier this season, earning a 3.60 ERA and an extended stay in the rotation before a forearm injury shut him down. Davidson didn’t appear in another regular-season game. He rehabbed at the team’s Florida complex, eventually pitching in a Triple-A game Oct. 3.
What the 25-year-old didn’t know was his preparation and rehab would lead to a spot on a World Series roster. He received the call around 1 a.m. Wednesday and left for Houston at 9 a.m.
“(If) you told me June 15 when I got hurt that I’d be a consideration for the World Series, I would probably say you’re lying,” Davidson said. “It’s been a whirlwind of emotions. It’s definitely taught me to grow as a person and just be able to understand that things don’t happen as fast as you want them to.”
Davidson was available for Game 2, manager Brian Snitker said. He gives the Braves another option to cover multiple innings, a need that grew with Morton’s absence.
The Braves already planned to use a bullpen game for Game 4. They’ll need to rely on their relievers for Game 5, as well. Davidson, Drew Smyly, Kyle Wright and Jesse Chavez would be options to start. The Braves could also use A.J. Minter as an opener, as they did in the 2020 National League Championship Series. Minter has logged three consecutive outings of at least two innings.
“We have guys that we can start that are stretched out,” Snitker said. “Even if we go bullpen game with an opener, we’ll probably have somebody that we can bring in behind them that can extend the game. It’s harder to do that when we’re going to be in Atlanta because the pitcher’s spot and hitting is going to come around sooner. It’s easier to do that in the American League and with a designated hitter.
“So when we’re going to have to do that at least once, it’s going to be in a National League game. We were kind of dealt a bad hand yesterday. We’ll keep going. We’re going to keep going, and we’ll figure this thing out somehow.”
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