The 2017 season was one that saw multiple unsung heroes play pivotal roles for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chris Taylor was first to vastly exceed expectations, and he was followed shortly thereafter by Brandon Morrow.
The right-hander was signed to a Minor League contract and began the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City. It was Morrow’s first time since his rookie year in 2007 where he pitched exclusively out of the bullpen.
Morrow was called up and added to the Dodgers’ 40-man roster at the end of May, returned to Oklahoma City in mid-June but quickly rejoined the club. He emerged as a dependable option for high-leverage and late-inning situations.
After a successful season, the 33-year-old was among the players to become a free agent. In the immediate aftermath of losing the World Series, Morrow expressed a desire to re-sign with the Dodgers.
He reiterated that stance and also highlighted what he’ll weight most in deciding which team to sign with, via MLB Network Radio:
“Obviously, you’d love to go back to the place where you had success. The Dodgers are set to be good for a very long time, and it’s obviously very attractive to be with a team that’s going to compete. That’s very high on my list. At 33 years old, to get back to the playoffs and try to win one, that’s probably going to be the leading factor in my decision making. I don’t care about closing. I’m cool with pitching whenever, I’m just looking for the best fit.”
Morrow went 6-0 with a 2.06 ERA, 1.55 FIP, 0.92 WHIP, and 50 strikeouts in 43.2 innings across 45 games in the regular season. He limited opponents to a .111/.143/.222 batting line, amassed eight strikeouts and sported a 1.08 ERA in seven appearances through the National League Championship Series.
Morrow’s heavy usage continued as he became the second pitcher in MLB history to appear in seven World Series games in a single year. A catastrophic performance in Game 5 led to Morrow sporting an 8.44 ERA. He otherwise allowed one earned run or threw shutout work in six games of the Fall Classic.
The New York Mets are among the clubs with reported interest in Morrow.
