The Padres have leaned on Adrian Morejon all season, and it’s hard to overstate how important he’s been to a bullpen that ranks fifth in baseball with a 3.46 ERA. The left-hander has done his part in a big way, putting up a 2.86 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP and 96 strikeouts over 78 2/3 innings. San Diego is very glad he stayed put at the deadline.
Now comes the tricky part: keeping him.
Morejon, 27, is set to reach free agency this offseason, and the Padres would love to bring him back to keep that relief group intact. The problem is that his age, production and overall track record are exactly the kind of combination that can push a reliever’s price into uncomfortable territory.
A rival executive who spoke with FanSided believes Morejon could land a deal in the neighborhood of four years and $60 million, or $15 million annually. That would match the contract former Padres closer Robert Suarez got with the Braves this past offseason, and the executive even suggested Morejon might top that number.
That kind of money sits right in the range of elite closer deals. Another comparison is Devin Williams’ three-year, $51 million pact with the New York Mets, which works out to $17 million per season.
The market may be crowded, too. Morejon and New York Yankees closer David Bednar are viewed as the two best relief arms available, and there should be no shortage of teams lining up. The Yankees, Padres, Mets, Seattle Mariners, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks and Washington Nationals were all listed as possible fits.
There is, however, a complication that could shape the whole process. If the Padres extend Morejon the projected $23.1 million qualifying offer, his market could shrink because any team that signs him would have to give up a compensatory draft pick. The source noted that San Diego very well might do that under its new ownership.
Even with that wrinkle, Morejon’s resume should keep plenty of suitors interested. He has put together three straight seasons with a sub-3.00 ERA, and his power stuff is exactly what teams hunting for late-inning help tend to chase.
His sinker averages 99.5 mph, while his four-seamer sits at 99.3 mph. He also mixes in a 92.1 mph changeup and an 89.4 mph slider.
He hasn’t been a classic closer - he’s 8-for-19 in save chances in his career - but he has become one of the best relievers in the game, period. And with Mason Miller giving the Padres another intimidating weapon at the back end, San Diego’s bullpen has the kind of depth that can make life miserable for opponents. If the Padres sneak into October as the third Wild Card, Morejon should get another big-stage chance to remind everyone just how valuable he is.
In Other News...
Padres Mason Miller Trade Feels Different After Troubling Prospect News
The Mason Miller deal already looked like one of the biggest swing-for-the-fences moves of the deadline, but the latest news out of Oakland adds a harsh new layer to it. Leo De Vries, the top prospect the Padres sent away in the trade, is headed for surgery to repair a torn anterior labrum in his right shoulder, a setback that could keep him out as long as eight months and cloud his immediate future as a hitter and defender.
For San Diego, the timing only sharpens the contrast. Miller has settled in as the new closer and has looked every bit the impact arm the Padres hoped they were getting, piling up strikeouts while keeping his ERA down. De Vries' injury does not suggest the Padres traded with this in mind, but it does make the return feel even more uncertain from Oakland's side and gives San Diego more reason to believe it landed the more stable end of the swap. [Read more 🡒]
Padres May Face A Jake Cronenworth Decision In New Ownership Era
The Padres are heading toward the 2026-27 free agency period with a different financial backdrop than the one that shaped so many of their recent roster decisions. With new ownership in place and the possibility of more spending room, San Diego has been mentioned as a team that could shop in a higher tier if it chooses, and CBS Sports Mike Axisa pointed to Jazz Chisholm Jr. as a possible fit. Chisholm brings power, speed and defense, the kind of versatile profile that can draw attention from clubs looking to reshape the middle of the diamond.
For the Padres, the conversation naturally circles back to Jake Cronenworth and whether they want to keep building around him or look elsewhere if the market opens up. A player like Chisholm would give San Diego an intriguing alternative, especially if the club decides it wants more athleticism and a different kind of impact in the infield. The decision is still a long way off, but the new ownership era has already changed the way these possibilities are being discussed. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Are Leaning Hard On Adrian Morejon At The Worst Time
Adrian Morejon has quietly become one of the most important arms in the Padres bullpen, and the timing could hardly be trickier. Even with a career-high workload, he has kept producing, mixing a sinker and changeup that have helped stabilize late innings for a club trying to stay in the postseason race. His latest save came in a 5-4 rally win, another reminder of how often San Diego has been leaning on him when the game gets tight.
The numbers have backed up the eye test, too, with Morejon carrying a 2.86 ERA and missing bats at a healthy rate while taking on more responsibility. The question now is less about whether he can handle a big role and more about how much the Padres can keep asking before the strain starts to show. [Read more 🡒]