Adrian Morejon's relief stand throws Mariners lifeline for long-shot free agent splash

Because he's sturdily built and he throws four pitches for strikes, Adrian Morejon probably could be a starting pitcher if he wanted to. But he doesn't want to, so go ahead and hold out hope that the Seattle Mariners will be the ones to end up with him.

According to Will Sammon, Ken Rosenthal and Katie Woo of The Athletic, teams are interested in the left-handed Morejon as a potential starter, but it is not mutual. His "preference" is to remain a relief pitcher, and that alone casts him in a different light than previous bullpen-to-rotation projects like Clay Holmes and Seth Lugo.

You have to hand it to Morejon for being self-aware about what works for him. In each of the last three seasons, he's made 60-plus appearances and posted an ERA in the 2.00s. Per his 131 Pitching+ score, he was even the best reliever of 2026.

Of course, choosing to die on this hill could put a cap on Morejon's earning power as a free agent. That he's apparently fine with that, though, should also be just fine by the Mariners. All they need now is a willingness to stretch their comfort zone to its breaking point.

Adrian Morejon should be in play for the Mariners after he commits to staying in the bullpen

Though they have yet to be linked to Morejon in free agency, Jerry Dipoto hasn't been subtle with his plans for the bullpen. In a recent interview with Teren Kowatsch of Roundtable Sports, Dipoto almost sounded giddy when discussing the market for free-agent relievers.

"We usually look internally and to trade first. This year's bullpen market is pretty appealing," Seattle's president of baseball operations said, "There's a lot of guys out there we feel like could help us. We've already identified who they might be. Whether we can land them or not is a different story. But, we're looking to add to our bullpen."

That Morejon is the best free agent reliever the Mariners can possibly add hardly needs further elaboration. It's his price tag that matters, and even his commitment to relieving doesn't figure to lower it. MLB Trade Rumors projects five years, $80 million, and other projections tend to be closely tethered to that guarantee.

Under Dipoto, the Mariners have swum in the deep end of the free agent market only twice: for Robbie Ray (five years, $115 million) in 2021 and for Josh Naylor (five years, $92.5 million) last year. The notion that they would do so again for a mere reliever is a reach, but not totally outside the realm of possibility.

Since John Stanton is specifically averse to spending big bucks on players in their 30s, it matters that Morejon is still just 27. The only other 20-something who represents a potential splash for the Mariners in free agency is Japanese slugger Teruaki Sato, who's also 27 and likewise projected for a five-year, $80 million contract by MLB Trade Rumors.

Because of the posting system, though, an $80 million contract for Sato would actually cost closer to $94 million. So, more than Naylor for less of a known quantity. As much as the Mariners need Sato's power, the fact that he's A) left-handed, B) prone to whiffs and C) not supposed to be great in the field would make it understandable if they drew the line right around Naylor dollars.

You can hold out hope for Randy Arozarena and Seiya Suzuki if you want, but those ships already seem to be sailing on account of their likely $100 million asking prices. So unless one considers something in the two-year, $20 million range for one of the market's lesser relievers a "splash," it might be Morejon or bust.

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