Adrián Morejón Leads a Reliever Class With Limited Late-Inning Options

The former Padres left-hander could set the market for relief pitchers this season, according to contract projections.

Sep 30, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Adrian Morejon (50) reacts in the end of the eighth inning against the Chicago Cubs during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This offseason features plenty of potential late-inning options. Adrián Morejón and David Bednar lead this year's class for teams looking to shore up the back of their bullpen.

Morejón and Bednar are firmly in the multi-year tier for relievers and should set the market. At 28 and coming off a 2.8 fWAR season with the Padres, Morejón should get the most lucrative deal at his position.

In 2026, Morejón was used extensively by the Padres. The left-hander made 76 appearances on the season and totaled 86 innings. He pitched to a 2.83 ERA with a 30.4% strikeout rate and an 8.0% walk rate. His 22.4 K-BB% ranks 16th among MLB relievers.

It's worth noting that both Morejón and Bednar have qualifying offers attached. That means the team that signs them will forfeit draft-pick compensation, while San Diego and New York would receive a second and fourth-round pick for losing them.

Adrián Morejón Presents an Interesting Free Agency Case

Sep 18, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Adrian Morejon (50) throws a pitch during the eighth inning against the Miami Marlins at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Morejón has played a key role in the Padres bullpen over the past several years. In most bullpens, he'd be on the short list of closer candidates. However, with Mason Miller in tow, that wasn't plausible in San Diego.

The left-hander was one of the most valuable relievers, with only Miller, Jhoan Duran, and Louis Varland ranking higher on FanGraphs' WAR leaderboard. Two of those relievers will likely take home their respective league's Reliever of the Year award.

What could make Morejón's free agency the most interesting is if he gets closer offers. That could mean more lucrative offers with a team looking to add a stopper in the ninth inning. Otherwise, he might be viewed as one of the top setup arms in the league.

FanGraphs' median crowd source projects Morejón to get a four-year, $64 million deal in free agency. Getting such a contract would likely mean he's landing a closer role on at least a mid-market club. But with spending being a huge part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement narrative, teams looking to be compliant with a potential floor could take a shot at him.

One potential option would be what the Braves did last offseason. Despite re-signing Raisel Iglesias at the start of the offseason, Atlanta targeted Robert Suárez from the Padres and signed him to a three-year, $45 million deal. Now that could be with a future succession plan for a closer in place. That's the exact type of situation that Morejon needs to strengthen his market.

Other Potential Closers on the Market

Sep 13, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher David Bednar (53) celebrates after defeating the New York Mets at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The top two closers on the market are Bednar and Iglesias. Both relievers are projected to get contracts north of $10 million a year from the FanGraphs crowd source. Bednar, who might be the safest closer projection in the class, is projected for three years, $45 million while Iglesias gets $14 million on a one-year deal.

Bednar's projected offer is much akin to the Suárez contract from last offseason. That's the going rate for an All-Star caliber closer. He's only been named an All-Star twice, back when he was with the Pirates, but in four of the past five seasons he's had a sub-3.00 ERA and FIP.

Teams looking to upgrade their bullpen in free agency have limited options in terms of bona fide stoppers. So that means the market should move fast on players such as Morejón, Bednar, and Iglesias, much like last winter. Most of the top late-inning arms were signed by the end of December. Teams may operate with similar urgency with a lockout looming after December 1.

After those three, it's mostly middle relief, setup men, and swingmen. Those are dime-a-dozen arms that teams sign as depth and hope they aren't thrust into too a high-leverage role. But there may be some hidden gems between Evan Phillips and Bryan Abreu, for teams willing to make a gamble.