October 30, 2026 - Written by Alex Sukyas
This is an impressive left-on-left at-bat by Spencer Jones to put the Yankees on the board vs. Adrian Morejon. https://t.co/2TuQKeZqfZ
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) September 6, 2026
One of the hottest relief arms on the market this offseason will be the Padres’ Adrian Morejon. The 27-year-old lefty is coming off two great back-to-back seasons, so let’s dive into why he would make sense for the Angels and what a potential contract would look like for him.
Who Is Morejon?
Morejon debuted in 2019 for the Padres as a 20-year-old reliever, when he pitched 2.1 innings in a Padres 5-1 win against the Chicago Cubs. Since then, he's had a few seasons of struggle, only playing four full seasons in his eight years in the majors, all being with San Diego.
However, in those four full seasons, he’s been a rather good reliever, only having one season with an ERA over 4.00. The other three seasons were his most recent three, where he’s been lights out.
From 2024-2026, Morejon has boasted a stat line of a 2.58 ERA, 248 strikeouts, 1.088 WHIP, and eight saves in 223.1 innings pitched. The best of these three seasons came in 2025, when Morejon finished his season with a 2.08 ERA, 0.896 WHIP, 70 strikeouts, and a trip to the All-Star Game in 73.2 innings pitched.
Overall, since 2024, Morejon has established himself as one of the best relievers in baseball.
Why Should the Angels Sign Him?
In 2026, the Angels were among the worst in MLB in team bullpen ERA. Specifically, the Angels ranked 24th in MLB in team bullpen ERA, finishing with a 4.47 ERA.
With this, it would make sense for the new Angels front office to target at least one big-name reliever to start building the bullpen as the Angels seek to rebuild the team under new owner Stan Kroenke.
Having a serious need in the bullpen is the primary reason for the Angels to bring in Morejon, as it was one of the team’s biggest flaws in 2026.
The other main upside to Morejon is the ability to convert him into a starter if needed or have him start games. Morejon has started nine career MLB games out of his 261 appearances, meaning he is capable of converting to a starter if needed.
However, it would be wiser to have him in the bullpen given the Halos’ current situation.
Potential Contract
Morejon would cost the Angels a decent amount, as most reports predict the lefty to earn $14 million to $18 million in average annual value (AAV) in his next deal.
Along with this, reports are estimating he will earn a medium-length, three-to-five-year contract, keeping him in Anaheim until up to his age-32 season if he were to sign with the Halos.
Assuming he gets a five-year contract worth $18 million AAV, that would mean the Halos would owe him $90 million throughout the deal.
Comparing him to other big-name relievers who have signed within the past few decades, such as Edwin Díaz’s roughly $23 million AAV contract with the Dodgers, signing Morejon would be a good choice for his AAV price tag.
Overall, Morejon would be a good and somewhat affordable lefty for his price tag who would make sense for the Angels to target this offseason.
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