SAN DIEGO -- The Padres have extended a qualifying offer to left-hander Adrian Morejon ahead of Monday’s deadline to do so.
The move was something of a formality, with Morejon, 27, set to hit free agency in his prime as perhaps the top reliever available. He will have until Nov. 17 to accept or decline the offer, worth $23.15 million for one year.
The Padres chose not to extend a qualifying offer to first baseman Ty France, who is now a full-fledged free agent. Michael King, meanwhile, received a qualifying offer last offseason, making him ineligible to receive one this year.
What does it mean?
A left-hander with a fastball that touches 100 mph and pinpoint command, Morejon should be a hot commodity on the free agent market. He posted a 2.83 ERA across 76 outings last season and had a 2.08 mark in 2025.
Which is a long way of saying … it seems likelier than not that Morejon will decline the Padres’ qualifying offer. If so, the Padres would receive a compensatory Draft pick were Morejon to sign elsewhere. (That pick would be after the fourth round because San Diego exceeded the CBT threshold in 2026.)
As for France and King, if they were to sign elsewhere, the Padres would not receive any compensation. France is coming off a career year in 2026, in which he posted a .295 average with an .865 OPS. King is one of the top starters available after posting a 3.21 ERA across 32 starts.
Interest in a reunion?
With or without Morejon, the Padres’ bullpen will be one of the best in baseball next season. They have Mason Miller at the back end and an array of middle-innings options headlined by Bradgley Rodriguez.
But you better believe the Padres are interested in bringing Morejon back. General manager A.J. Preller loves himself a super bullpen. At the end of the season, Morejon expressed a desire to return as well, though he couched it by noting that circumstances might be out of his control.
“Everybody knows that,” Morejon said of his desire to return. “My agent knows that. It’s not really in my hands right now.”
Morejon, of course, would not be the Padres’ closer if he returns. He could presumably be the closer almost anywhere else. It’s unclear if his desire for a closer role might be a driving force in his decision.
Free agency begins
As of Monday’s 2 p.m. PT deadline, it’s officially free agency. After a number of key option decisions, here’s the full list of Padres who are now free agents: Morejon, King, France, Nick Pivetta, Jason Adam, Casey Mize, Robbie Ray, Walker Buehler, Ramón Laureano, Luis Rengifo, Austin Hays, Griffin Canning, Lucas Giolito and Miguel Andujar.
Among that group, only Morejon is tied to Draft pick compensation if he signs elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Wandy Peralta, Yuki Matsui and Kyle Hart will all return after option decisions that were finalized on Sunday. The Padres also selected the contract of lefty starter Luis Gutierrez, adding him to the 40-man roster. (He would have otherwise been eligible to become a Minor League free agent.)
Separately, the Padres have until Nov. 20 to decide whether they will tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible players: Miller, Gavin Sheets, JP Sears, Luis Campusano, Freddy Fermin and Jeremiah Estrada.