The Yankees’ interest in Adrian Morejon is hardly a secret, and the latest free agency wrinkle only makes that pursuit look more natural.
According to insiders at The Athletic, Morejon is drawing attention from teams that would like to stretch him back into a starter’s role. He’s not interested. His preference, per the report, is to remain a reliever - a detail that lines up neatly with what New York wants and what the market may allow.
That matters because the Yankees have been tied to Morejon for a while now. Last summer, New York, the Rays and the Pirates all showed interest in him, but the Padres held firm and kept their bullpen intact.
San Diego’s decision paid off, as the club reached the playoffs against the odds and pushed the eventual World Champion Milwaukee Brewers harder than any other opponent. The source material points to an all-time Jackson Chourio at-bat against Mason Miller and a wayward roof as the kind of moments that stood between the Padres and a bigger upset.
Morejon himself wanted to stay put in San Diego over the summer, but he’s back in the spotlight again with free agency in front of him. The Yankees’ appetite for him appears to have survived the trade deadline noise, too.
There was late buzz that New York tried to send controllable starter Will Warren to San Diego for two months of Morejon, a rumor that sounds extreme but still underscored how badly the Yankees wanted him. Jeff Passan also said the Yankees could have landed either Morejon or Mason Miller at the deadline, but only if George Lombard Jr. was included.
Now the path is different. Morejon will cost real money, but not the kind of package that would have been required in July.
That fits the way the Yankees seem to be approaching their bullpen work this winter. Michael Kay kicked off the offseason chatter by saying people in the organization love Morejon, and early rumors have already linked the Yankees more strongly to bullpen help than to any other area.
David Bednar and Paul Blackburn reunions are both considered plausible, but even if those happen, the relief corps still needs work.
The bigger question is whether New York would be willing to pay up for a reliever who comes with a qualifying offer attached. The Yankees did that with Bednar in an effort to secure a draft pick if he left and to cool the market, since so many teams are wary of giving up a pick. They also weren’t eager to spend big last winter to improve the bridge to Bednar, instead finding answers with Blackburn and Brent Headrick.
That’s the tension now: Morejon looks like the kind of arm the Yankees want, and his reliever-only stance makes him even more appealing. The catch is the qualifying-offer cost, and whether New York is ready to go there after already showing how careful it can be with that kind of move.
In Other News...
Yankees Could Have One Outfield Decision That Shapes Their Offseason
The Yankees are already weighing how their outfield could look next season, and the shape of that group may come down to one big decision in center field. Spencer Jones is currently viewed as the leading internal candidate there, but the club is also exploring whether Cody Bellinger could slide over to center to create more flexibility elsewhere on the roster.
If Bellinger ends up in center, it could open the door for New York to chase a right-handed hitting outfielder and balance the lineup a bit more. League chatter has connected the Yankees to names such as Teoscar Hernandez, Seiya Suzuki and Tyrone Taylor, but for now it remains a matter of planning and possibility rather than any official move. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Boone Suffers A Personal Loss Yankees Fans Will Feel
Bob Boone, the longtime major league catcher and father of Yankees manager Aaron Boone, died at 78, leaving behind one of baseballs more recognizable family legacies. A four-time All-Star with the Phillies, Boone spent 19 seasons in the big leagues and built a reputation that lasted far beyond his playing days, with his name tied to durability, leadership and a family that has remained deeply woven into the sport.
For Yankees fans, the loss lands with added weight because Aaron Boone has long carried that baseball lineage into the dugout, while his brother Bret Boone also starred in the majors. Bob Boones career stood out not just for the accolades, but for the sheer volume of games he caught, a record that reflected both toughness and staying power across generations of the game. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees Suddenly Have A Hitting Coach Problem Fans Didn't Expect
The Yankees offseason coaching picture got a little murkier when Brian Cashman referred to hitting coach James Rowson as a free agent and stopped short of saying whether Rowson will be back next season. For a club that has already started to reshape parts of its staff, it was a notable bit of uncertainty around one of the most visible jobs in the organization, especially with the lineup and its day-to-day offensive approach always under the microscope in New York.
Cashman did confirm one other staff change, with Aaron Gershenfeld stepping in after Tanner Swanson left for a bench coach role in Seattle. He also offered a health update on Max Fried, saying the pitcher had a bone spur removed from his elbow and is expected to be ready for spring training, but the lingering question around Rowson is the one that will keep drawing attention as the Yankees sort out the rest of their offseason plans. [Read more 🡒]