Charlie Morton to re-join Astros in Baltimore for final regular-season series

PHOTOS: Great Astros photos from this season

Houston Astros pitcher Charlie Morton during the fourth inning of an MLB baseball game at Minute Maid Park, Wednesday, August 29, 2018, in Houston.

>>>See photos of the best Astros photos from this season ... less Houston Astros pitcher Charlie Morton during the fourth inning of an MLB baseball game at Minute Maid Park, Wednesday, August 29, 2018, in Houston. PHOTOS: Great Astros photos from this season

Houston Astros pitcher Charlie Morton during the fourth inning of an MLB baseball game at Minute Maid Park, Wednesday, August 29, 2018, in Houston. Houston Astros pitcher Charlie Morton during the fourth inning of an MLB baseball game at Minute Maid Park, Wednesday, August 29, 2018, in Houston. ... more Photo: Karen Warren, Staff Photographer Photo: Karen Warren, Staff Photographer Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close Charlie Morton to re-join Astros in Baltimore for final regular-season series 1 / 20 Back to Gallery

TORONTO — Though Charlie Morton exited a start on Sunday after one inning with a concerning velocity decline and right shoulder soreness, Astros manager A.J. Hinch said Monday he expects the veteran righthander to be stretched out and healthy for the postseason.

Morton did not accompany the team to Toronto, instead remaining in Houston with his wife, Cindy, who is due with the couple’s fourth child any day now.

Morton will re-join the Astros in Baltimore for their final regular season series of the season.

“We’ll make an assessment on if he’ll pitch again,” Hinch said. “I do expect him to, maybe another short stint, but all things are checking out positively.”

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Morton spent 10 days on the disabled list earlier this season with irritation in his right shoulder. He’s thrown only 12 innings in September.

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Because Morton has already surpassed his career-high in regular-season innings, it was always the plan for Morton to have an abbreviated outing on Sunday. His next outing — whenever it arrives — will also be short.

Still, the loss of Morton’s velocity was discernible. He averaged just 92 mph on a fastball which usually hovers around 94-95 mph. Hinch said Monday that Morton was “tentative” in both the bullpen and with his first pitch of the game — an 89.4 mph two-seam fastball.

Morton has visited doctors, Hinch said, who determined nothing was structurally wrong.

“I think he was being a little bit careful,” Hinch said. “I don’t think it was all about the shoulder, I think he was a little tentative, which made me tentative. Once we got into the competition, I think we saw some 94s. It perked up a little bit. He was tentative in the bullpen, I knew that, and he was tentative on the first pitch of the game. That raised my radar.”