The San Diego Padres have extended a qualifying offer to left-handed pitcher Adrian Morejon.
Morejon is one of eight players who received a qualifying offer -a one-year contract worth $23.15 million - ahead of Monday's deadline. The other players are Randy Arozarena (Seattle Mariners), Seiya Suzuki (Chicago Cubs), Brandon Lowe (Pittsburgh Pirates), Trevor Rogers (Baltimore Orioles), David Bednar (New York Yankees), Jake Bauers (Milwaukee Brewers) and Ryan Jeffers (Minnesota Twins).
The deadline for those players to accept or reject the qualifying offer is Nov. 17.
Players almost always decline the qualifying offer, instead seeking more years and dollars elsewhere. If Morejon rejects his, the Padres can receive a pick in the 2027 MLB Draft as compensation if he signs elsewhere.
What makes Morejon's case interesting is the disconnect between his 2026 role and the dollar figure in the qualifying offer. A salary north of $20 million would put Morejon in the range of starting pitchers or closers, two roles in which Morejon have yet to make his mark.
Morejon was manager Craig Stammen's most frequently used reliever during the regular season, racking up 76 appearances and 86 innings out of the bullpen. The left-hander responded with a career year, going 9-3 with a 2.83 ERA and striking out 107 batters with a 1.081 WHIP.
Those are great numbers, but $23 million over one year for a setup man is atypical of the market rate in free agency. Rather, it reflects what the Padres perceive Morejon's market value will be.
If they're wrong, it's not inconceivable that Morejon will accept the qualifying offer, then re-test the market in a year. There's also some injury risk involved with a pitcher whose workload caught up with him in October; Morejon wasn't available by the end of the National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
There's also the possibility that Morejon rejects the qualifying offer, but re-signs with the Padres. Such was the case last year with Michael King.
If Morejon returns, it might be the only way he finds himself in a setup role next season. The Padres have an established closer in Mason Miller, so Morejon's chances of closing are almost certainly better elsewhere, if that's his goal.
The Padres might also have designs on using Morejon as a starter, with more than half of their 2026 rotation headed to free agency.
Though only 18 players have ever accepted the qualifying offer , a record four players - Brandon Woodruff, Shota Imanaga, Trent Grisham and Gleyber Torres - did so in 2025.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/padres/onsi as Padres Make Official Offer to Adrian Morejon in Free Agency .
