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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Padres' Adrian Morejon: Rehabbing at Triple-A
Rotowire
Morejon (knee) has made his last two rehab appearances at Triple-A El Paso, covering 1.2 innings and allowing an unearned run on one hit and no walks while striking out three between the two outings.
Morejon shifted his rehab assignment to El Paso after he struck out two in a scoreless inning for the Padres' rookie-level Arizona Complex League club Aug. 4. The right-hander has been on the shelf since July 16 with right knee inflammation, an injury he picked up while fielding a bunt. Morejon could be on the cusp of being activated from the 15-day injured list, but he's unlikely to hold a major role out of the Friars bullpen once reinstated.
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Padres' Adrian Morejon: Begins rehab assigment
Rotowire
Morejon (knee) kicked off a minor-league rehab assignment with the Padres' Arizona Complex League club Friday, striking out two batters in one scoreless inning.
Morejon went on the injured list July 16 due to a right knee strain. It was the second significant injury of the season for the southpaw, who missed over two months to start the campaign with a left elbow strain. Morejon has been limited to eight big-league appearances this season, allowing seven earned runs and posting an 8:5 K:BB over nine innings.
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Padres' Adrian Morejon: Goes three scoreless in first start
Rotowire
Morejon did not factor into the decision Sunday, allowing two hits and two walks over three scoreless innings against the Reds. He struck out one.
Morejon made his first start since 2021 in place of Yu Darvish (illness) and was stretched out to three frames after going fewer than two innings in each of his first four appearances of the season. The outing was a strong bounceback for the 24-year-old, who allowed three runs in his last appearance after having not allowed a run in his first three big-league games in 2023. If Darvish is forced to miss extended time, Morejon could receive another starting look; however, it's likely he'll remain in the pen for San Diego.
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Padres' Adrian Morejon: Draws spot start Sunday
Rotowire
Morejon will draw the start for Sunday's game against the Reds, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
The Padres haven't formally clarified their pitching plans for the series finale in Cincinnati, but considering he hasn't recorded more than seven outs in any of his appearances in the majors or minors this season, Morejon likely won't be asked to cover more than 3-to-4 innings. With Yu Darvish (illness) still under the weather and unable to make a turn through the rotation this weekend, the Padres could turn to recently recalled Triple-A starter Pedro Avila to work in bulk relief behind Morejon.
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Padres' Adrian Morejon: Recalled from El Paso
Rotowire
San Diego recalled Morejon from Triple-A El Paso on Wednesday.
Morejon is up in the majors for the first time in 2023 and will presumably fill a middle-relief role for the Padres. He was sidelined until late May due to left elbow inflammation but had since registered a 1.29 ERA with nine strikeouts across seven innings at the Triple-A level.
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Padres' Adrian Morejon: Activated, optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
San Diego activated Morejon (elbow) from the 60-day injured list Tuesday and optioned him to Triple-A El Paso.
Morejon is recovered from the elbow sprain he suffered back in mid-March, but the Padres will keep him on the farm for now. He allowed four earned runs over 4.2 innings (four appearances) during a recent rehab stint at Low-A Lake Elsinore.
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Padres' Adrian Morejon: Slated for bullpen session
Rotowire
Morejon (elbow) is expected to toss a bullpen session in Chicago on Tuesday, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
The bullpen session, if it takes place as scheduled, will mark Morejon's first time on a mound since leaving a spring training game due to left arm discomfort in mid-March. The southpaw underwent a subsequent MRI that came back negative, but he was nonetheless placed on the 60-day IL prior to Opening Day. Morejon isn't eligible to come off the injured list until late May.
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Padres' Adrian Morejon: Lands on 60-day IL
Rotowire
Morejon (elbow) was placed on the 60-day injured list Thursday.
Morejon was diagnosed with a left elbow sprain in mid-March and will be sidelined through at least late May. The oft-injured 24-year-old southpaw doesn't carry an exact recovery timetable at the moment.
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Padres' Adrian Morejon: Tests come back negative
Rotowire
MRI scans on Morejon's elbow came back negative Friday, Bob Scanlan of Bally Sports San Diego reports.
After having to leave Sunday's contest against Oakland early with elbow soreness, Morejon's MRI results bring some good news for the 24-year-old lefty. He will be treated for elbow inflammation going forward, and there is still no official word on how much time, if any, he will miss to start the season.
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Padres' Adrian Morejon: Exits with arm discomfort
Rotowire
Morejon left Sunday's game against the Athletics with discomfort in the back of his arm, above his elbow, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.
This is unfortunately all too familiar for Morejon, who has never topped 65.1 innings in a season despite the fact the Padres have continued to try developing him as a starting pitcher. He should be considered out indefinitely and any hopes of him breaking camp in the big-league rotation are likely dashed.
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Padres' Adrian Morejon: Blown up by Dodgers
Rotowire
Morejon didn't record an out in an appearance against the Dodgers on Sunday, allowing four runs on three hits and one walk.
The Padres put themselves back into the game with a three-run top of the seventh inning that closed their deficit to one run, but Morejon couldn't contain Los Angeles in the bottom of the frame. The southpaw allowed all four batters he faced to reach base, and Trayce Thompson ended his outing by slamming a three-run, pinch-hit homer to left field. Morejon allowed only one run over 14.2 innings in August, but a pair of four-run blowouts in 19 appearances this season has his ERA at 4.50.
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Padres' Adrian Morejon: Yields run in return
Rotowire
Morejon (shoulder) gave up a run on two hits and struck out one in one inning during Wednesday's 10-6 loss to the Rockies.
Morejon missed about three weeks with shoulder inflammation. The 23-year-old southpaw has allowed at least one run in three of his four appearances this season, though he's also picked up one win. He's added a 2:1 K:BB with a 4.76 ERA and 1.06 WHIP through 5.2 innings. Morejon is expected to fill a middle-relief role going forward, and his background as a starter could allow him to cover multiple innings.
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Padres' Adrian Morejon: Resumes playing catch
Rotowire
Morejon (shoulder) started playing catch again Friday, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.
Morejon was placed on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation June 23, but Padres manager Bob Melvin suggested that the issue isn't a major concern. Still, the organization is likely to take a careful approach with the southpaw given the fact that Morejon is 14 months removed from Tommy John surgery. Regarding the shoulder injury, Melvin stated, "I don't think it's anything serious -- he's obviously somebody we're going to be careful with after what he went through."
