NEW YORK — A strong regular-season bullpen has not spared the Yankees from a difficult winter decision. Several of the pitchers responsible for keeping late leads intact are on the open market, and the club has no guarantee that its ninth-inning anchor will return.
The Yankees enter November with a familiar problem in a different form. New York needs reliable outs after the sixth inning, but the market for elite relievers could force the front office to pay closer-level money for pitchers who have rarely handled the ninth.
David Bednar is at the center of the uncertainty. The Yankees offered the veteran closer a one-year, $23.15 million qualifying offer Monday. He has until Nov. 17 to accept it or pursue a longer contract. His decision could reshape how the Yankees distribute both innings and dollars.
Beyond Bednar, Paul Blackburn, John Schreiber, Tim Hill and Ryan Yarbrough are among the relievers who reached free agency. That creates a depth issue even if the Yankees retain their closer. A strong team ERA in 2026 cannot replace pitchers who are no longer under contract.
It also means the Yankees must distinguish between adding a specialist and adding someone Aaron Boone can trust against the most dangerous part of an opposing lineup. One available arm brings strikeouts, ground balls and a workload rarely combined in the same left-handed reliever.
Yankees interest extends beyond the trade deadline
That pitcher is Adrian Morejon, the 27-year-old former Padres setup man who struck out 107 hitters in 86 innings in 2026. Broadcaster Michael Kay said people inside the Yankees organization “love” the left-hander, reinforcing a connection that predates free agency.
The Yankees extensively scouted San Diego ahead of the August trade deadline, with Morejon and Mason Miller among their bullpen interests. The Yankees checked in on Morejon, although a reported Will Warren trade offer was subsequently disputed. No completed deal or current agreement has been announced.
Morejon went 9-3 with a 2.83 ERA across 76 appearances and collected three saves. His 2.37 FIP and 58% ground-ball rate add context to a season built on more than velocity. The Yankees would be seeking an established high-leverage option, not a developmental project.
A decision in San Diego complicates the market
San Diego extended Morejon a $23.15 million qualifying offer Monday, the same amount the Yankees offered Bednar. Morejon also has until Nov. 17 to decide. If he rejects it and signs elsewhere, his new club would face qualifying-offer-related draft consequences under MLB rules.
Morejon made clear after the Padres’ postseason elimination that returning to San Diego appealed to him. The left-hander acknowledged, however, that the outcome was not his decision alone.
“Everybody knows that,” Morejon said of wanting to return. “My agent knows that. It’s not really in my hands right now.”
The Padres still have an interest in keeping him, but a multiyear contract could be expensive. Contract projections vary widely, from three years and $42 million to substantially larger offers. Those are outside estimates rather than a confirmed asking price.
Why his workload matters more than three saves
The clearest distinction in Morejon’s 2026 numbers is how often he produced outs without needing a traditional closer assignment. He recorded 28 holds and faced 352 batters, striking out 30.4% of them while walking 8.0%.
His 107 strikeouts across 86 innings equal about 11.2 per nine innings. The 58% ground-ball rate offers a second route out of jams. Those two skills matter together at Yankee Stadium, where preventing airborne contact can be particularly valuable.
Morejon also showed he was not restricted to left-on-left matchups. Left-handed hitters posted a .461 OPS against him, while right-handed hitters had a .609 OPS. He struck out 68 right-handed batters in 215 plate appearances, widening the situations in which Boone could use him.
The durability question belongs in the evaluation, too. Morejon worked 75 games in 2025 and 76 in 2026. He underwent Tommy John surgery earlier in his career, and the heavy recent workload makes medical review and contract length important parts of any pursuit.
Yankees have two bullpen decisions, not one
The Yankees finished 2026 with a 3.13 bullpen ERA, among MLB’s best figures, but the number masks an immediate roster turnover. Losing multiple experienced relievers would leave Boone assembling leverage roles again rather than simply preserving a successful unit.
Keeping Bednar and adding Morejon would address different assignments. Bednar saved 35 games in 2026, while Morejon’s three saves came alongside a much larger setup workload. If Bednar leaves, Morejon would offer closer-caliber stuff without the same extensive ninth-inning record.
For now, the Yankees’ interest is supported by their earlier scouting and Kay’s account of organizational enthusiasm. Morejon remains a free agent with a pending Padres qualifying offer. The first concrete deadline is Nov. 17, when both he and Bednar must decide whether to accept their one-year offers.
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
