The Los Angeles Dodgers are projected to land free-agent left-hander Adrian Morejon from the San Diego Padres on a five-year, $80 million contract this offseason, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
Darragh McDonald of MLB Trade Rumors made the prediction as part of the site’s annual Top 50 Free Agents list, placing the 27-year-old eighth overall. The deal would average $16 million per season.
“Beyond his sheer dominance, Morejon is one of the market’s youngest free agents. He won’t turn 28 until February. Teams are buying two to three more prime seasons with him than they would a more standard free agent who’s entering his age-30 or age-31 season,” McDonald wrote.
He added: “There are only eight relievers in the past decade to sign free agent contracts of four or more years with annual values north of $10MM. Morejon seems like a near-lock to be the ninth. He’s younger than Edwin Díaz was when Díaz signed for five years and $102MM, and he’s better than Tanner Scott was when he signed for four years and $72MM. A five-year deal that pays Morejon in excess of $15MM annually is distinctly possible.”
Morejon posted a 2.83 ERA in 76 appearances and 86 innings for the Padres in 2026. He recorded 107 strikeouts against 28 walks, finished with a 9-3 record, three saves and 28 holds, and posted a 1.08 WHIP with a 30.4 percent strikeout rate.
Born Feb. 27, 1999, in Havana, Cuba, Morejon has spent his entire major league career with San Diego after debuting in 2019. He has posted a sub-3.00 ERA in each of the past three seasons while working primarily in high-leverage relief roles.
The Dodgers fell short of a third consecutive World Series title in 2026 and are looking to refresh an aging core while remaining aggressive in free agency. Adding Morejon would address bullpen depth and simultaneously weaken a National League West rival.
Los Angeles has committed significant resources to its relief corps in recent years. Morejon’s ability to pitch multiple innings — he recorded four or more outs in 25 of his 76 appearances this season — would give manager Dave Roberts another reliable option.
The Padres extended Morejon a qualifying offer of one year and $23.15 million. He has until Nov. 17 to accept or reject it. Rejecting the offer would make him a free agent while attaching draft-pick compensation to any signing team.
Morejon has indicated a preference to remain a reliever rather than convert to starting, according to reports. That stance has not diminished interest, as his velocity and swing-and-miss numbers rank among the best in baseball.
Over the past three seasons, Morejon has accumulated 60 holds and a 2.64 ERA across more than 220 innings. His average fastball velocity this year reached 99.4 mph, placing him in the 98th percentile.
Signing with the Dodgers would place Morejon on a perennial contender while forcing the Padres to replace a key bullpen piece. San Diego also faces decisions on other free agents, including starter Michael King.
The impending expiration of the collective bargaining agreement in December could compress the free-agent market into a shorter window before any potential lockout. Teams with deep pockets, such as the Dodgers, are expected to remain active regardless.
Morejon’s combination of youth, recent performance and multi-inning capability makes him one of the more attractive relief targets available. Whether the Dodgers ultimately close a deal remains to be seen, but the projection underscores their continued willingness to pursue upgrades from within the division.
