The Padres are staring at a winter where keeping their bullpen intact could get expensive in a hurry, and Adrian Morejon is right in the middle of it.
San Diego already has a pile of free agents to sort through, but Morejon and Michael King stand out as two of the most attractive arms on the market. The problem for the Padres is that interest is one thing and financial reality is another. With more than $108 million per year already committed to five players through at least the 2030 season, there’s no easy path if the club wants to keep adding around the edges while also trying to fill out a rotation.
That uncertainty is why Morejon’s market is worth watching. The 27-year-old hard-throwing reliever is projected by some to land a contract close to $100 million, and there’s already been talk about whether he might be used in a different role than the setup job - or even taken out of the bullpen altogether. For a team that doesn’t have a closer or a relief group as strong as San Diego’s, he becomes a very appealing target.
One club that has surfaced is Miami. The Marlins finished last season with the sixth-fewest saves and the 12th-highest ERA in baseball, and according to Kevin Barral of Fish on First, they have interest in Morejon.
There’s a catch, though: Morejon comes with a qualifying offer attached. That means any team signing him would have to surrender an early-round draft pick, on top of paying what would be one of the biggest deals ever for a reliever.
“The Marlins would have to go against their past behavior to get a deal done because Morejon will have a qualifying offer attached to him,” Barral wrote. “If he doesn’t return to the Padres, his new team would be required to give up an early-round draft pick (in addition to making him one of MLB’s most expensive relievers).”
That makes the fit obvious but the path murky. Miami’s past spending habits suggest this is the kind of move they usually shy away from, but nothing prevents them from trying to reset their approach this offseason. Even if they don’t ultimately jump in, the interest alone could push Morejon’s price higher as the market takes shape.
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