THE APEX TIMES
San Diego made it official ahead of the MLB deadline, attaching a one-year $23.15 million qualifying offer to left-hander Adrian Morejon and preserving potential draft-pick compensation if he signs elsewhere.
The Padres extended a qualifying offer to left-hander Adrian Morejon ahead of Monday’s deadline, a move that keeps the door open for a return to San Diego while also setting up Draft-pick compensation if he chooses another team.
The offer is worth $23.15 million for one year. Morejon has until Nov. 17 to accept or decline the qualifying offer, which puts a short timeline on any resolution.
San Diego did not extend a qualifying offer to first baseman Ty France, making him a full-fledged free agent, and it did not extend one to Michael King because he received a qualifying offer last offseason and is ineligible to receive one this year.
The team’s decision comes as Morejon profiles as a front-of-the-bullpen free-agent option, with MLB reporting he posted a 2.83 ERA across 76 outings last season and a 2.08 ERA in 2025.
If Morejon declines and signs elsewhere, the Padres would receive a compensatory Draft pick, with MLB reporting that it would fall after the fourth round because San Diego exceeded the Competitive Balance Tax threshold in 2026. The only Padres player in this group tied to draft-pick compensation under this framework is Morejon.