AJ Preller Addresses Adrian Morejon's Future With Padres as Free Agency Looms

Will the Padres re-sign a player who has spent more than one-third of his life in the organization?

San Diego Padres relief pitcher Adrian Morejon (50) celebrates walking off the field during the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park on Aug. 2, 2026. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Adrian Morejon, Padre for life?

The pitcher certainly hopes so. Only time will tell if the organization feels the same.

President of baseball operations A.J. Preller gave a coy answer when asked about Morejon, a free agent at the end of the season, remaining with the San Diego Padres in 2027 and beyond.

"We'll see what the offseason ends up bringing," Preller said on a Zoom with reporters after Monday's trade deadline. "Part of his maturity is being in the present, the here and now, every day. I know he's super-focused on helping this team win in the playoffs and get to the World Series in October and we'll deal with the other stuff here when we get to the end of the year."

Morejon was much more straightforward about his intentions.

“Everybody knows that I want to stay here,” Morejon said through interpreter Pedro Gutierrez before the trade deadline. “Even with free agency coming, they know I want to stay. This is the organization I’ve been a part of for more than 10 years. I’ve sacrificed a lot. I’m proud to be a member of the Padres. Hopefully that will continue.”

In July, Morejon looked like a candidate to be moved out of the Padres' deep bullpen before the deadline. He's 8-2 with a 2.95 ERA in 53 games this season — a luxury for a team on the fringes of the National League wild-card picture.

But with the Padres acting as buyers at the deadline, Morejon wasn't going anywhere.

"Adrian's been tremendous for us this year," Preller said. "All-Star last year, definitely could've been an All-Star this year. He's one of the best relievers in the league. I also think, the respect he has in that clubhouse, he's a guy that obviously signed with the Padres in 2016. Feel like he's grown up in the organization from a 16-year-old player to where he's at now. It's been a lot of fun watching his development."

Morejon defected from Cuba in October 2015. In July 2016, he signed with the Padres. Now 27, He's spent more than a third of his life employed by the same organization.

"The Padre organization's his family," Preller said of Morejon. "He's a player that left Cuba at a super young age, not knowing if he'll ever be back in the country, not knowing what that means for his relationship with his parents. So he kind of grew up in this organization."

Preller is the only boss Morejon has ever worked for, one of the few constants in an organization that has changed managers five times since he signed — and even changed team chairmans three times.

To that end, Preller conceded that he and Morejon have talked about his future in San Diego beyond this year, if only casually. The Padres' ownership transfer is still technically incomplete. Preller likely doesn't have a set budget for next year. The Collective Bargaining Agreement between players and owners expires Dec. 1.

"Every once in a while we'll talk about it," Preller said. "We'll joke about it. He knows he has a lot of people who believe in him a ton."

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