This unsung Padres reliever absolutely deserves consideration for 2025 All-Star Game

One of the reasons the San Diego Padres have been able to stay in contention in the NL Wild Card race has been their bullpen. The Padres' pen ranks fifth in MLB with 3.8 fWAR and fourth with a 3.22 ERA.

Jason Adam and Robert Suarez have been the talk of the town as the highest leverage arms out of the pen. They've both been talked about as potential all-stars. However, there is a third member of the pen who deserves his flowers. Of course, that is Adrian Morejon, who might just be the unsung hero of the Padres' 2025 season so far.

Morejon has steadily improved since he made his debut with the Padres in 2019 as a 20-year-old. He broke out in 2024, earning a full-time spot in the bullpen while posting a 2.83 ERA and 1.319 WHIP. In 2025, he has been even better. So far, Morejon holds a 1.96 ERA across 40 appearances.

He is backing up that ERA with a career-best 0.818 WHIP and a career-best 2.13 FIP. It seems like the 26-year-old has figured things out, and he has quietly been one of the best relievers in baseball over the past two seasons.

Is All-Star talk unrealistic? Not necessarily. Morejon is tied for fourth in the league with his 40 appearances. Among NL relievers who have appeared in at least 40 games, he ranks third in ERA, behind teammate Jason Adam and Giants' Tyler Rogers. Among NL relievers who have thrown at least 30 innings, he is third in fWAR (1.2), third in FIP, fifth in wins, sixth in BB/9, seventh in K/BB ratio, eighth in ERA and eighth in opponent average.

That is a pretty impressive resume for Morejon. Statistically, he ranks in the top ten in most categories for NL relievers, and has been the third most valuable according to fWAR. That should be enough to garner at least some all-star consideration.

It is worth noting that Morejon's all-star case is hurt in a few key areas. First, all-star rosters usually only carry three to five relievers. Each league gets 12 pitchers on the roster (not including those who are injured), and usually, at least two-thirds of the pitchers are starters.

Second, Morejon is not a closer. Usually, All-Star relievers tend to be closers, or high-leverage arms. Morejon has gradually begun pitching in more high-leverage situations, but his 10 holds rank 19th in the NL, and he has just two saves in five opportunities.

Third, Morejon has not been the best reliever on his own team. That would be Jason Adam, whose six wins lead NL relievers. Adam ranks second in holds (19), third in ERA (1.69) and sixth in strikeouts (50). If a Padres' reliever does make the game, it will probably be Adam.

Still, it is worth praising Morejon for his fantastic efforts so far in 2025. Morejon has put himself on the map as one of the rising star relief pitchers in the game. Even if the All-Star Game might not be in the cards for him this year, the Padres have found a gem in Adrian Morejon.