Morton had allowed one run in the first two innings, but Elly De La Cruz started the third inning with a solo home run, and five of the next six Reds hitters reached base before Morton’s day was done. The 41-year-old did post a 30 percent whiff rate on 27 swings, but he simply couldn’t overcome the poor third inning. Morton was the big addition to the Orioles’ starting rotation this offseason, but he’ll now carry a 10.89 ERA into a start against the Tigers next week. He is not worth rostering in any fantasy format right now.

He struck out two and walked three. Nevertheless, he limited the Guardians to one run through four before giving up three runs in the fifth. He was brought back out for the sixth anyway, gave up a leadoff single to Gabriel Arias and was immediately pulled. Arias later came around to score off Cionel Pérez. Morton figures to stay in the rotation in spite of his 8.84 ERA and face the Reds next.

Morton struggled with control early in this one, walking two batters and hitting a third to load the bases with no outs. He was able to get out of it with just one run scored by inducing a pair of groundouts. After a scoreless second inning, Corbin Carroll took Morton deep for a solo homer in the third. A walk and two doubles brought two more runs in to score for the D-Backs in the fifth. The 41-year-old right-hander would end his day after five frames, striking out four batters with five walks. Morton lines up for a start against the Guardians in Baltimore on Tuesday.