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Padres face an expensive bullpen balancing act with Adrian Morejon and Jason Adam

We’ve reached the paying-for-it portion of the program.
ByTremayne Person
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Oct 7, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Jason Adam (40) pitches during the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game four of the NLDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images
Oct 7, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Jason Adam (40) pitches during the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game four of the NLDS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Padres can bring back Adrian Morejon and Jason Adam. They can also pay for starting pitching and improve the lineup. Doing all of it takes an ownership group willing to pay for the roster it wants.

And that’s where the bullpen conversation needs to start. The Padres had a dominant group in 2026. Keeping it together in 2027 will require clear spending priorities, and Morejon should be at the top of that list.

Morejon should lead the Padres’ bullpen spending

Morejon is entering free agency at 27, with the ability to handle difficult outs and work more than just the clean three-out inning. His market could be substantial. Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter projected a five-year, $90 million contract.

We should expect the Padres to make a serious effort here. They developed Morejon, found a role that suits him and now have to decide how much they value the finished product. Watching another club enjoy those years would sting considerably more than losing a familiar name.

Adam isn’t removed from consideration either. Keeping both would give Craig Stammen more options. It would also get expensive quickly. Some outlets have estimated Adam to receive around $10 million annually. Pair that with the $18 million annual average in Morejon’s projected deal, and we’re discussing roughly $28 million a year for two setup arms.

Keeping Adam alone would leave unfinished business

Retaining Adam while Morejon leaves offers a cheaper way to preserve some continuity. It also leaves the Padres shopping for someone to handle Morejon’s assignments.

Losing both would demand even more from A.J. Preller. Internal arms would have to earn bigger jobs, outside additions would need to hit, and Stammen would have fewer established choices while sorting it out. 

The Padres should make their strongest bullpen offer to Morejon, then see whether Adam’s price leaves enough room to address the rotation. Bringing back both would be a win if ownership also funds the starters this team needs.

Letting both walk would leave San Diego trying to fix its rotation while rebuilding the bullpen that helps cover for it. We’d be asking Miller to finish games with fewer reliable arms available to get him the ball. That’s a lot to tear apart in one winter just to hope Preller can put it back together.

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