Blue Jays shouldn't be scared off after Adrian Morejon makes his free agency intentions clear

There haven't been many concrete rumors surrounding Adrian Morejon this offseason, but that hasn't stopped Toronto Blue Jays fans from salivating over the idea of signing him. Louis Varland and Tyler Rogers are an excellent high-leverage duo, but adding one of the game's best left-handed pitchers to the mix could turn this bullpen into an unstoppable unit.

And, before anyone tries to argue, Morejon is indeed one of the best southpaws in baseball. Over the past two seasons, he leads all left-handed relievers in fWAR (5.1); stretch that window out to three years, and he leads all relievers in innings pitched (223⅓). Whoever signs him will be getting a genuine relief ace.

That title is especially important right now, since Morejon -- who began his career as a starter -- had made it clear to pursuing teams: He intends to remain in the bullpen.

Adrian Morejon's desire to stay a reliever has massive ramifications on Blue Jays' pursuit of him

In terms of what Morejon's declaration means for the Blue Jays, there is both good and bad fallout to address.

On the positive side of the ledger, it should make him cheaper to sign. Morejon will still push for a massive contract, but the ceiling for relievers is lower than starters in free agency. Considering he's also attached to the qualifying offer, his next deal might look surprisingly affordable given his status among the league's relief royalty.

It also helps that the Blue Jays have solid relief depth, which means Morejon wouldn't have to be used so heavily like he has been in recent seasons with the Padres. Then again, some of that depth could pose a bit of an issue.

Remember, Morejon has spent the past few years in the shadows of Robert Suarez and Mason Miller. Would he really willingly sign up for another set-up role, knowing that Varland is locked in as the Blue Jays' closer right now (and that Rogers is looming as an understudy)? It's a question that will make the pursuit of any closer difficult this offseason.

Likewise, Morejon's qualifying offer is a big factor to consider relative to his value; while it should serve to drive his contract total down, it would also require the Jays to surrender their second- and fifth-highest draft selections in 2025, plus an additional $1 million in international bonus pool space. That's a lot to give up for a bullpen arm, no matter how dominant they are.

There's more pros and cons that GM Ross Atkins will have to weigh out before deciding to splurge on a luxury (bullpen help) when he still has so many needs on offense and in the rotation to address. But thanks to Morejon, we now know that if any rumors connect him to Toronto, it's purely with designs of adding him to the relief corps.

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