Morejon struck out two over 1.1 perfect innings to earn the save in Saturday's 5-1 win over the Dodgers.
Morejon got the last out in the top of the eighth inning and remained in the game for the ninth after the Padres padded their lead. Both Robert Suarez and Mason Miller pitched Thursday and Friday, so Morejon likely would have been in contention for a more conventional save opportunity anyway. He's on a 10-inning scoreless streak with a 10:2 K:BB in that span. For the season, Morejon has maintained a stellar 1.81 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 60:12 K:BB over 59.2 innings while adding three saves, 18 holds, three blown saves and a 9-4 record as one of the Padres' top relievers.
Morejon (7-3) earned the win over Arizona on Thursday, allowing one hit and walking one batter while notching two strikeouts over 1.2 scoreless innings.
Starter Randy Vasquez lasted just 4.1 frames, and Morejon took over with two Diamondbacks on base and one out in the fifth. The left-hander got out of the jam by striking out Josh Naylor and getting Eugenio Suarez to pop out, then tossed a scoreless sixth despite allowing two baserunners. Morejon was credited with the win -- his seventh of the campaign, most among MLB relief pitchers -- as the Padres held on to claim a 4-3 victory. While bullpen mates Robert Suarez and Jason Adam are going to the All-Star Game for their first-half accomplishments, there's an argument to be made that Morejon is just as deserving. In addition to the seven wins, he's posted a dominant 1.71 ERA and 0.83 WHIP along with a 39:9 K:BB while notching two saves and 12 holds over 45 appearances spanning 42 innings.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Adrian Morejon: Grabs save Wednesday
Rotowire
Morejon earned the save in Wednesday's 1-0 win over the Nationals, striking out one in a perfect ninth inning.
With Robert Suarez serving a suspension, the Padres turned to Morejon in the ninth inning Wednesday to close out a one-run victory. The left-hander made quick work of the Nats, retiring the side on just seven pitches, to earn his second save this season. Morejon has been dominant of late, allowing just one unearned run in his last 15.2 innings -- he's given up three hits while striking out 17 in that span. His ERA is down to 2.04 with a 0.82 WHIP and 33:6 K:BB across 35.1 innings this season. However, with Suarez eligible to return Saturday, Morejon figures to remain in a setup role moving forward.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Adrian Morejon: Turns in rare poor outing Tuesday
Rotowire
Morejon (1-1) took the loss and was charged with a blown save against the Yankees on Tuesday, allowing four runs on three hits and one walk while retiring one batter in relief.
When Morejon entered in the seventh inning, San Diego was clinging to a one-run lead. By the end of the frame, New York racked up 10 runs, four of which were charged to the left-hander. Three of those crossed the plate after Morejon had departed, and the walk he issued was intentional, but it was nonetheless an uncharacteristically poor performance by the reliever given his previous results this season. Entering Tuesday, Morejon owned a 1.56 ERA and had held the opponent scoreless in 15 of his 17 appearances.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Adrian Morejon: Earns save against Atlanta
Rotowire
Morejon earned the save in Saturday's 1-0 win over Atlanta, issuing one walk while striking out one batter in a scoreless ninth inning.
The 26-year-old southpaw came in to finish out Saturday's game, as usual closer Robert Suarez had been deployed in each of the first two games of the series. Morejon was able to pitch around a leadoff walk and finished things off by punching out Drake Baldwin. Morejon logged two saves last season, but he could see more opportunities in 2025 on days when Suarez is resting.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Adrian Morejon: Remaining in relief role
Rotowire
Morejon will enter spring training as a reliever, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.
The Padres are in need of a fifth starter with Joe Musgrove expected to miss all or most of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last October. Morejon has some experience starting in the majors and made some sense as a candidate for the open rotation spot, but manager Mike Shildt said Saturday that the southpaw "has found a really nice niche in the bullpen" and is expected to continue in that role. Morejon enjoyed his best big-league campaign in 2024, posting a 2.83 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 71:21 K:BB while notching two saves and 12 holds over 63.2 innings spanning 60 relief appearances.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Adrian Morejon: Avoids arbitration with San Diego
Rotowire
The Padres and Morejon avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2 million contract Thursday, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports.
Morejon was in his second year of arbitration eligibility. The left-hander was excellent out of the San Diego bullpen in 2024, putting up a 2.83 ERA and 71:21 K:BB over 63.2 regular-season innings. However, the club is thinking about stretching him out this spring as a candidate to join its rotation.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Adrian Morejon: Candidate for rotation
Rotowire
The Padres could move Morejon into the rotation next season. AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.
The Padres currently have only three starters locked into their 2025 rotation in Dylan Cease, Michael King and Yu Darvish, and they're entertaining trade offers on Cease. Morejon thrived out of the bullpen last season, posting a 2.83 ERA and 71:21 K:BB over 63.2 innings. However, he has past starting experience and throws five pitches, so stretching him out would make sense. What role the Padres ultimately decide on for Morejon could depend largely on what moves president of baseball operations A.J. Preller makes this winter.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Adrian Morejon: Converts second save
Rotowire
Morejon allowed an unearned run over one inning without giving up a hit or a walk, earning the save in Sunday's 4-3 extra-inning win over the Giants.
Regular closer Robert Suarez worked the ninth inning and took a blown save, but the Padres were able to gain the lead in the 10th. Morejon then closed things out, earning his second career save, both of which have come over his last 15 appearances. In that span, he's allowed seven runs (six earned) across 13.2 innings. The southpaw is at a 3.00 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 67:20 K:BB with 10 holds through 60 innings this year, emerging as an option for high-leverage work in a talented Padres bullpen.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Adrian Morejon: Nails down first career save
Rotowire
Morejon earned a save against the Pirates on Wednesday, striking out one batter in a perfect inning of work.
Robert Suarez has worked as the Padres' closer this season, but he was deployed in the ninth inning with the score tied Wednesday. The contest ended up going to an extra frame, and San Diego took the lead with a three-run top of the 10th. Recently acquired Tanner Scott was asked to preserve the lead in the bottom of the frame, but he walked three straight batters to force in a run before Morejon was called upon to clean up the mess. The southpaw's outing didn't begin well -- his first offering was a wild pitch that allowed another Pirate to cross the plate to make the score 9-8 -- but Morejon rebounded impressively, retiring the next three batters without allowing the tying run to score. As a reward, he earned his first career save in his 90th MLB appearance. Morejon has been a solid bullpen piece for the Padres this season, posting a 2.66 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 52:16 K:BB through 47.1 innings.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Adrian Morejon: Rare poor performance Friday
Rotowire
Morejon picked up a hold against Baltimore on Friday despite allowing two runs on three hits and one walk over two-thirds of an inning. He struck out one batter.
Morejon had been effective coming into Friday, tossing seven straight scoreless outings and posting a 2.18 ERA on the campaign. That number shot up to 2.57 after the rough appearance against Baltimore, during which the southpaw allowed a solo homer and a double among the three hits he surrendered. Morejon was nonetheless credited with a hold, which has become fairly commonplace for him of late. After not picking up a hold in any of his first 14 appearances this season, Morejon has recorded eight across his past 20 outings.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Adrian Morejon: Recalled from El Paso
Rotowire
The Padres recalled Morejon from Triple-A El Paso on Friday.
Morejon pitched two-thirds of an inning during San Diego's series in South Korea but was optioned to Triple-A ahead of its domestic opener. He's given up two runs across 6.1 minor-league frames and will now return to the Padres to provide additional bullpen depth. Pedro Avila was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Adrian Morejon: Sent down to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Padres optioned Morejon to Triple-A El Paso on Thursday, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.
Morejon was on the roster for the team's two games in South Korea against the Dodgers but didn't make the cut for the Padres' domestic opener. He'll work in relief at El Paso.
... See More... See Less
Padres' Adrian Morejon: Avoids arbitration
Rotowire
Morejon signed a one-year contract with the Padres on Thursday, avoiding arbitration.
Elbow and knee injuries limited Morejon to just eight big-league appearances last season. The 24-year-old southpaw surrendered seven earned runs over nine innings when healthy and will likely return to a middle-relief role to begin 2024.
1:54
1:49
1:09
1:24
8:58
1:12
1:22
0:38
0:51
0:52
1:33
1:08
0:56
1:37
10:13
0:51
0:50
1:28
1:33
0:58
