The New York Yankees will be looking to add several new players to the roster this winter. General manager Brian Cashman is expected to pursue multiple key free agents. Third base, catcher, second base, and center field will all be areas for New York to strengthen. However, the Yankees are likely prioritizing a star relief pitcher.
SNY’s Phillip Martinez recently named 10 free agents that the New York Yankees will be eyeing. Atlanta Braves closer Raisel Iglesias topped the list, but it was under the condition that Cashman fails to bring back David Bednar. New York’s closer, however, is widely expected to be re-signed by the Yankees. With this in mind, Adrian Morejon essentially moves to the top of the rankings.
Morejon is coming off an impressive 2026 with the San Diego Padres. The veteran southpaw posted a 2.83 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 11.2 strikeouts per nine innings as Mason Miller’s main setup man. The pending free agent earned $3.9 million this past season, but will be looking for a significant multi-year deal in the near future.
“The name seemingly on every team’s lips,” Martinez says of San Diego’s star. “Morejon has dominated in his time with the Padres, especially most recently setting up for Mason Miller… With Brent Headrick already in the [the New York Yankees] bullpen, Morejon would be a luxury as a southpaw, but would serve nicely as the setup man for whoever closes for the Bombers in 2027 and beyond.”
New York Yankees Previously Tried to Trade for Adrian Morejon
If the New York Yankees want Morejon, they will have to pay a pretty penny to sign him. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden recently ranked the star reliever as the 11th-best pending free agent in baseball. The former MLB exec also interestingly named the Yankees as a potential top fit for the pitcher. According to Bowden, New York or any other club will likely have to pay Morejon around $42 million over three years.
This is also not the first time that the Yankees have been linked to Morejon. Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller previously urged Cashman and Co. to sign the star reliever this offseason. New York was also interested in landing the pitcher ahead of the most recent trade deadline. In fact, the Yankees were even willing to send Will Warren to San Diego to facilitate a deal.
Now, the New York Yankees could sign Morejon as a free agent and potentially use Warren in another trade. The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner is even suggesting that Cashman could pair the pitcher with Luis Garcia Jr. to help land a big fish in the offseason.
New York has to Replace Several key Free Agents
Statistically speaking, the New York Yankees had a solid bullpen in 2026. In fact, New York’s relievers compiled a 3.13 ERA on the season, the second-best figure in all of baseball. Nevertheless, the club has several relievers heading towards free agency. This list includes Bednar, but also John Schreiber, Tim Hill, Ryan Yarbrough, Paul Blackburn, and Michael Fulmer.
While the Yankees are expected to retain Bednar, they cannot re-sign all of these players. Blackburn led the team in relief innings pitched, while Schreiber, Yarbrough, and Hill also had solid seasons. If New York can land Morejon, he would help turn a team weakness into a strength.
Yankees Expected to Prioritize $42 Million Star Free Agent