3 mid-tier starters the San Diego Padres should target during free agency, 1 they should avoid

Padres should target Braves starter Charlie Morton in free agency

Charlie Morton might be 40 years old, but he's still as good as ever. This past season for the Braves, he posted a 3.64 ERA in 30 starts and 163.1 innings pitched. His injury right before the postseason proved to be a big blow as Atlanta lost the game he would've started. His age might be concerning, but he would've finished second on this Padres team only behind Snell in innings pitched. That has to count for something.

Morton does have a club option worth $20 million that Atlanta has to decide what to do with, but if they were to reject it and Morton chose to continue pitching, A.J. Preller should absolutely inquire.

With Morton, the Padres wouldn't only be getting a really strong third starter, they'd be adding an elite postseason performer. This Padres team isn't just looking to squeak into the playoffs, they're trying to win the World Series. Morton has done that twice, and has played a huge role in both wins.

The Padres would only have to commit for one year to Morton and can look to add another pitcher the following offseason if there is a need. He's too good to be concerned with his age.