New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman will be busy during the offseason. After getting swept by the Tampa Bay Rays in the playoffs, New York is expected to make some roster changes this winter. Cashman could focus on several different positions. Third base, in particular, is a clear area of improvement.
Nevertheless, Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller believes the team’s biggest roster hole will be in the bullpen. As the reporter points out, the Yankees have several relievers hitting free agency soon. This list includes David Bednar, Paul Blackburn, Tim Hill, and John Schreiber. It seems highly unlikely that Cashman and New York will be able to re-sign all of their 2026 bullpen pieces.
While New York is not expected to bring back all of these pitchers, Bednar appears to be the most likely returnee. The Yankees closer grabbed 35 saves and posted a solid 2.47 ERA during the most recent campaign. Even if the veteran returns, the club will still have to sign new addition to the bullpen. San Diego Padres star reliever Adrian Morejon should be atop Cashman’s wishlist.
In fact, Miller has even urged the New York Yankees to “go get” Morejon this winter. The move would certainly appear to be a smart one. After all, the reliever posted a 9-3 record, 2.83 ERA, and 107 strikeouts in 86 innings this season. The Padres star is widely considered to be the top reliever in this winter’s market, even above Bednar.
New York Yankees Attempted to Land Adrian Morejon in August
Interestingly, the New York Yankees were linked with Morejon before the most recent trade deadline. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that Cashman even attempted to send Will Warren to San Diego for the highly rated reliever. Warren, mostly used as a starter, compiled a 3.92 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 39 total appearances in 2026. He is under team control until 2031.
Nightengale’s report was rebuffed by others close to the situation. According to team sources of The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty and Dennis Lin, the Yankees never attempted to trade Warren to the Padres. Nevertheless, this assertion should be taken with a grain of salt. Team officials typically do not reveal details on failed trades. The Athletic reporters also admitted that New York “checked in” on Morejon.
The Padres star earned just $3.9 million for the 2026 season. If the New York Yankees want to sign him this winter, they will have to give him a significant pay raise. New York had a top-five MLB payroll for the current campaign, and Cashman is not expected to pinch pennies this winter.
New York Will Face Competition to Sign Star
The New York Yankees will, however, likely want to avoid a bidding war. Despite this, Morejon will almost certainly be targeted by several teams in the offseason. In fact, the New York Mets are also being urged to land the All-Star reliever ahead of the 2027 campaign. The two rivals will not be alone in the chase for the flamethrower.
Morejon re-signing with the Padres is also a real possibility. In fact, the pitcher even recently proclaimed his desire to stay in San Diego. Nevertheless, an agreement between the two sides still has to be worked out. Cashman and the Yankees will be crossing their fingers that the star will hit the open market before getting an extension.
Yankees Expected to Reignite Interest in Signing Star Pitcher