Padres Free Agent Adrián Morejón’s Bullpen Preference Opens the Door for the Mariners

Give Kanzler two pitchers he can trust when the game gets loud.

Jul 11, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Adrian Morejon (50) celebrates walking off the field during the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Mariners can make Adrián Morejón a pitch without having to ask anyone in their rotation to move over. The Padres left-handed reliever reportedly wants to stay in the bullpen, even as clubs have shown interest in converting him into a starter. That works in Seattle’s favor. They already have enough decisions to make with its rotation. Morejón would only complicate that if he wanted to move into a rotation.

The pitch is simple enough. Come to Seattle and get some of the biggest outs of the game alongside Andrés Muñoz. The Mariners can offer Morejón the job he wants and mean it. The trouble starts when another team offers him that same job and puts a bigger number on the contract. Honestly, that’s something that is highly likely.

The Mariners Have Big Outs to Offer Adrián Morejón

Morejón has already done the work Seattle would be asking him to do. He made 76 appearances for San Diego in 2026 and struck out 107 in 86 innings, with a 2.83 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. At 27, he’s hitting the market after three consecutive seasons with at least 60 appearances and an ERA under 3.00. The workload and strikeouts will grab everyone’s attention. It tells you why the conversation starts well above what teams typically spend on another lefty bullpen weapon. 

The Mariners aren’t exactly hurting for another left-handed arm. Gabe Speier and José A. Ferrer can still have roles here. Adding Morejón would change when Kanzler has to ask them for outs.

Kanzler could bring in Morejón and let him handle both left and right-handed bats, allowing for Speier and Ferrer to either work earlier innings, or become more of a specialist on any given night. On a night when Muñoz needs a breather, Morejón could even finish the game himself. And when a starter gets knocked out early on a Friday, having another arm who can cover four or five outs can matter on Saturday, too. Basically, this guy would be a massive upgrade for the Mariners.

The Padres Can Make the Same Pitch With Mason Miller

It’s been reported that San Diego is interested in bringing Morejón back and that he expressed interest in returning at the end of the season. The Padres already know what it looks like to pair him with Mason Miller.

Seattle would be selling him on the Muñoz version of a job he’s already done in a place he’s said he’d like to stay. San Diego has also put an actual offer in front of him, the one-year, $23.15 million qualifying offer. That’s real money for a reliever, even if it’s just for one year. It’s hard to expect a relief pitcher to decline that kind of payday. But one of Morejón’s caliber could command some real long-term cash.

The Mets, Tigers and Marlins have also been floated as possible destinations. The reporting about teams looking at Morejón as a starter leaves those clubs unnamed, so there’s little reason to assume either has made that pitch.

The part Seattle should care about is how many teams could join the bidding on relief alone. MLB.com reported that most executives at the GM Meetings regarded Morejón as the best reliever available. It only takes one of those clubs deciding it wants the best arm on the board to push the price past Seattle’s comfort zone.

The Mariners Still Have a Bat to Pay For

An $80 million projection for Morejón sounds like a number the Mariners are more likely to hear from his agent than put on the table themselves. That would be a hefty commitment for a club that rarely shops at that end of free agency, especially for a reliever. If Morejón declines the Padres’ qualifying offer, signing him would also cost Seattle draft-pick compensation. A team willing to pay top dollar for the bullpen could beat the Mariners on money, years or both.

Meanwhile, the Mariners still need a hitter. Randy Arozarena’s own free agency makes the lineup question more urgent. Depending on how that plays out, Seattle could have to replace an established bat before it even gets to the part where the offense gets better.

If it were up to us, Seattle would call Morejón’s agent and find out what it takes to get in the conversation. If the Mariners have one big free-agent check to write, we’d give it to the hitter. The bullpen fit is good enough to warrant a real conversation, and the likely price is high enough that we’d expect somebody else to land him.