Padres could be playing Yankees perfectly in Adrian Morejon trade negotiations

Who knows whether the Yankees truly offered the Padres Will Warren for Adrian Morejon. We do know someone wanted the baseball world discussing it. According to Bob Nightengale’s report, the Padres rejected a proposal that would have sent Morejon to New York in a deal involving Warren. The full package remains unclear, so we shouldn’t pretend this was definitely a clean one-for-one swap.

The leak still serves A.J. Preller perfectly. The Yankees, Rays and Pirates have all reportedly shown interest in Morejon. Nothing livens up a trade market quite like telling three bidders that one of them has already put a controllable starting pitcher on the table, and still heard no.

Padres hold the leverage in Adrian Morejon trade negotiations

That’s the Padres announcing their price without actually announcing it. If Warren alone wasn’t enough, come back with more. If the reported proposal contained additional moving parts, the message becomes even stronger. It seems like Preller is treating Morejon like one of the best relievers on the market. He’s not wrong.

That’s exactly what Morejon has become. The lefty owns a 3.07 ERA with a 27.8 percent strikeout rate and 6.2 percent walk rate this season. His sinker is averaging 99.5 mph, his command and ground balls makes him more than another seventh-inning arm.

Morejon and Mason Miller can really shorten a game. Plus, the Padres have won eight of nine and moved within one game of a Wild Card spot, keeping that advantage has legitimate value.

But rejecting Warren doesn’t mean Morejon is staying. Preller can reject an offer Sunday and accept a better one Monday. He can also keep Morejon and take his chances on a playoff run. The pressure belongs to the teams chasing him, especially a Yankees club with obvious bullpen needs.

Warren would address the Friars thin rotation and bring multiple seasons of club control. Turning him down looks strange unless the Padres believe they can do better, or unless key details from the proposal remain missing. Either explanation tells us these negotiations aren’t finished.

The Yankees haven’t necessarily lost their chance at Morejon. They may have simply lost the opening round. If they still want him, the Padres just made sure everyone knows the price is going up.

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