It is time for the San Diego Padres to re-sign Adrian Morejon, who is due for free agency after the 2026 season.
Pitching is at a premium around Major League Baseball.
Every year, pitching prospects fizzle out.
The San Diego Padres experienced that turnover, as some of the young pitchers in the system never really panned out. Names like Jacob Nix, Logan Allen, Pedro Avila, Michel Baez, and Nick Margevicius were not able to establish themselves in the league. It happens. Baseball is difficult. Especially for pitchers.
At one point, Adrian Morejon looked as though he was going to fall into this category.
Coming into the 2024 season, Morejon battled injuries and inconsistencies. He only pitched in 50 games at the MLB level, and his ERA was just south of the 5.00 mark. The Padres did not know what they had with the lefty out of Cuba. They wanted him to start games, but it didn’t seem like his arm could handle the workload.
For the 2024 season, they transitioned Adrian Morejon to the bullpen.
He responded with a 2.83 ERA and a 1.319 WHIP in 60 games and 63 2/3 innings pitched. The southpaw was extremely useful out of the pen, and his fastball enjoyed an increase in velocity. Morejon was regularly throwing in the high 90s with an excellent assortment of off-speed pitches. It took some time, but he was coming into his own on the mound.
Last year, Morejon took his game to a new level.
His ERA dropped to 2.08 in 75 games and 73 2/3 innings pitched. More notably, his WHIP decreased to 0.896 on the season, as Morejon threw more strikes and allowed fewer hits than the previous year. He was dominant. His stuff plays out of the pen, and he was named to the 2025 N.L. All-Star team. He is essentially another closer late in the game for the Padres. Morejon has five saves in the last two seasons for San Diego.
The future looks bright for Adrian Morejon.
Sadly, for the Padres, he is in the last year of his contract. He is due for free agency at the end of the year and could conceivably cash in on the open market. His value is difficult to determine, as Morejon is not a starter and he is not a closer. Middle relievers are extremely valuable, though. He made $2 million in 2024 and is due for an increase in pay in the final year of arbitration.
Can the Padres buy out that last year and extend the pitcher for three or four more years? It seems like a great idea.
Unfortunately, Adrian Morejon is a Scott Boras client. The super agent is notorious for making his clients hit free agency without talking extension. The Padres may have explored talks with Morejon, but it will take a generous offer to retain him. Boras is confident that his client will enjoy another productive year and increase his value on the open market. The two sides are at a crossroads.
San Diego may need to be aggressive in this situation. Morejon is entrenched in the bullpen, and at the age of 26, his best baseball is probably in front of him. The Padres need more homegrown talent. Jackson Merrill and Morejon represent that. Players who were drafted and stay with the organization. Padres players for life.
Adrian Morejon is worth an extension. This may be the Padres’ last chance to sign the lefty long-term. On the open market, anything can happen.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.
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