Charlie Morton will start Game 1 of World Series for Braves

Braves starting pitcher Charlie Morton delivers a pitch during the first inning of Game 3 at the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021, in Los Angeles. (Curtis Compton / curtis.compton@ajc.com)

Credit: Curtis Compton

Credit: Curtis Compton

Braves starting pitcher Charlie Morton delivers a pitch during the first inning of Game 3 at the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021, in Los Angeles. (Curtis Compton / curtis.compton@ajc.com)

Charlie Morton will start Game 1 of the World Series for the Braves against the team with which he won a championship in 2017.

The Braves named Morton their Game 1 starter against the Astros, with whom Morton pitched from 2017-18. The game is Tuesday in Houston.

This marks Morton’s second consecutive World Series appearance after he helped the Rays earn an American League pennant in 2020. Morton faced the Astros twice in the AL Championship Series during that run, including holding them scoreless over 5-2/3 innings in Game 7.

Morton, 37, has made three starts with the Braves this postseason, posting a 3.77 ERA in 14-1/3 innings. He pitched Games 1 and 4 of the NL Division Series against Milwaukee and Game 3 against the Dodgers in the NL Championship Series. He would’ve started a Game 7 of the NLCS Sunday but the Braves eliminated the Dodgers on Saturday night.

The Braves signed Morton last winter largely because of his experience. He built his reputation as a big-game pitcher with the Astros, where he earned his first All-Star appearance and World Series berth in his mid-30s.

The rotation might be the Braves’ greatest advantage in the series. Morton, Max Fried and Ian Anderson are lined up and rested. Morton will try to help the Braves take an early series lead on the same mound he once called his own.