35. Charlie Morton

Ranking a starting pitcher based on a mere two-season residency might initially feel unconventional, but our evaluation framework places equal weight on sustained seasonal dominance. When a player anchors a rotation with the kind of high-ceiling impact that fundamentally alters a franchise's trajectory, the brevity of their stay is offset by raw efficiency. Charlie "Uncle Charlie" Morton provided exactly that kind of high-leverage elevation.

Having completed twelve Major League seasons and earned a championship ring with the Houston Astros, the seasoned right-hander joined the Tampa Bay Rays as a free agent prior to the 2019 season. Rather than demonstrating signs of aging, Morton proceeded to craft the pinnacle of his professional career. Equipped with a lethal, high-spin curveball and a mid-90s fastball, he effectively commanded American League lineups to achieve a 16–6 record across 33 starts. He concluded that remarkable summer by finishing third in the American League Cy Young Award voting, ranking third in the league with a 3.05 ERA, and setting a personal best with 240 strikeouts over 194.2 innings pitched. It is highly likely that the Rays would have missed the postseason entirely without his role in stabilizing the front of the rotation, a contribution further demonstrated by winning both of his October appearances.

Although his regular-season statistics were not as remarkable during the pandemic-affected 2020 season, his ability to perform in crucial games continued to be a vital asset. Restricted to nine starts in the regular season due to shoulder inflammation, Morton demonstrated his most exceptional work in the high-pressure environment of October. He emerged as a quintessential postseason closer and starter, achieving a 3–1 record throughout the playoffs, and notably securing two decisive victories in the American League Championship Series against his former team, the Astros, thereby leading the Rays to their second pennant.

The front office let the veteran walk in free agency that winter, leading to his signing with the Atlanta Braves.  In his two years with the Rays, Morton compiled an 18–8 record with a 3.33 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP, striking out 282 batters over 232.2 innings pitched.