NEW YORK — Every winter, the best relief arms on the market draw two kinds of bidders. This year, left-hander Adrian Morejon sits atop that list. Some teams want his late-inning outs. Others see a future starter and would pay for the innings.
The second group often wins. The Yankees learned that firsthand when their former closer, Clay Holmes, left after the 2024 season and signed across town to join the Mets’ rotation.
Morejon’s background as a starter has not gone unnoticed. That could have pushed his price beyond what any bullpen budget would allow.
The Yankees have plenty of relief innings to replace. Their bullpen finished 2026 with a 3.13 ERA, second best in the majors, according to Heavy. Closer David Bednar, John Schreiber, Tim Hill, Ryan Yarbrough, Paul Blackburn and Michael Fulmer all reached free agency.
Now the field for one of their top targets may be shrinking. Morejon wants to stay in the bullpen, even as teams pitch him on a move to the rotation.
What Morejon would bring to the Yankees bullpen
His 2026 numbers explain the demand. Morejon went 9-3 with a 2.83 ERA, a 1.08 WHIP, 107 strikeouts, 28 holds and three saves over 86 innings in 76 games, according to FanGraphs.
The underlying data was even stronger. He posted a 2.37 FIP and a 58% ground-ball rate while striking out 30.4% of batters. He also averaged a career-high 99.1 mph on his fastball, per FantasyData.
Sports Illustrated ranked him fourth among all MLB relievers with 2.8 fWAR. Over his last two seasons, he has made 151 appearances and logged 159 2/3 innings.
For the Yankees, that workload carries both value and risk. It shows durability, yet it also adds context to the shoulder issue that cut short his October.
The left-handed angle matters for the Yankees. Hill and Yarbrough, two of their lefty relievers in 2026, are free agents. Morejon would give manager Aaron Boone a power arm from that side who can also bridge multiple innings.
Starter interest meets a reliever’s preference
The news came from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic during the opening week of free agency. He reported that some clubs view the former Padres setup man as a rotation candidate.
“Free-agent left-hander Adrian Morejon is drawing interest as a starter, but his preference is to remain a reliever, according to a person briefed on his market,” Rosenthal wrote.
Rosenthal left room for a change of heart if an offer grows large enough. He also noted that recent converts such as Holmes and Seth Lugo had a strong desire to start, something that sets Morejon apart.
Morejon has a starter’s pedigree. The Padres signed him out of Cuba for $11 million in 2016, and he made nine big league starts, the last in 2023, according to FanGraphs.
His health history explains the caution. He had Tommy John surgery in 2021, missed time with a left elbow sprain in 2023 and dealt with a left shoulder issue during the 2026 NL Division Series, MLB.com noted.
Why a bullpen-only market helps New York
A reliever who wants to stay a reliever removes the clubs shopping for starters. That narrows the bidding to teams like the Yankees, who see him in late innings.
The Yankees’ interest is not new. New York, the Rays and the Pirates checked in on Morejon before the trade deadline, but San Diego kept its bullpen intact. YES Network broadcaster Michael Kay has said people in the organization love the lefty.
The fit also matches the Yankees’ stated priorities. MLB insider Jon Heyman reported Nov. 5 that the Yankees view third base and the bullpen as their main areas of need.
The Holmes case adds a twist. The Yankees lost one converted reliever to a team offering a rotation spot. This time, the pitcher’s own preference points toward their kind of offer.
Price, picks and a Nov. 17 decision
The cost will not be small for the Yankees or anyone else. The Padres extended Morejon a one-year, $23.15 million qualifying offer, and he has until Nov. 17 to decide. The Yankees made the same offer to Bednar.
If Morejon declines and signs elsewhere, his new team gives up draft compensation. A club that exceeded the luxury tax threshold in 2026, as the Yankees did, would forfeit its second- and fifth-highest picks and $1 million in international bonus pool money.
Contract projections vary widely. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden estimated about three years and $42 million. FanSided’s Robert Murray reported Morejon could seek a deal like Josh Hader’s five-year, $95 million contract with Houston.
The calendar adds pressure on the Yankees and every other suitor. The collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1, and a lockout would freeze free agency. As of Nov. 11, Morejon remains unsigned, with the Yankees and Mets among the clubs linked to him.
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