The Padres may have more than Mason Miller drawing attention as the Aug. 3 trade deadline approaches. Adrian Morejon is also squarely on the radar, with interest building fast around the left-hander.
Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reported that the Cubs are in on Morejon, and Francys Romero added three more clubs to the mix: the Pittsburgh Pirates, Tampa Bay Rays and New York Yankees.
That Yankees-Pirates connection got a little more interesting on Saturday, when the two teams completed a deal sending reliever Camilo Doval to Pittsburgh. Even after that move, both clubs still have bullpen work to do, and Morejon has emerged as a name worth watching.
Morejon has quietly put together a strong season in San Diego’s relief mix. He entered Sunday with a 3.07 ERA and a 1.091 WHiP across 58.2 innings, along with 67 strikeouts and 15 walks. Hitters have had a tough time doing much of anything against him, producing just a .221/.278/.288 line in 241 plate appearances.
Of course, the Padres don’t have to move him. They’ve gone 7-3 over their last 10 games and sit just one game behind the final wild-card spot, which gives them a real reason to keep the bullpen intact.
Still, A.J. Preller has never been shy about listening if there’s a chance to improve the Padres’ long-term outlook. And with Morejon pitching well, carrying an expiring contract, and bringing value as a left-handed reliever, he could end up being more attractive as a trade piece than as a piece of San Diego’s bullpen.
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