SAN DIEGO -- How good has the back end of the Padres’ bullpen been this season? Good enough to make baseball history in Atlanta next week.
The 2025 Padres became the first team to have three relievers selected to the All-Star Game on Friday, when left-hander Adrian Morejon was added to the National League roster as a replacement for Phillies righty Zack Wheeler.
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Morejon joins setup man Jason Adam and closer Robert Suarez in the NL bullpen, along with fellow Padres Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., bringing the team’s total to five All-Stars for a second straight season.
And sure enough, those five All-Stars looked the part in the Padres’ series-opening 4-2 victory over Philadelphia on Friday night at Petco Park. Machado went deep, Tatis reached base three times and the trio of relievers nailed down the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.
“They’re All-Stars for a reason, right?” said manager Mike Shildt.
Without question, the Padres’ biggest strength this season has been their lockdown bullpen. With the addition of Morejon, they now have unprecedented All-Star representation to prove it.
“Obviously, it’s really awesome that we have three pitchers that are able to represent the team,” Morejon said through interpreter Jorge Merlos. “It means we’re doing a hell of a job out there. So I’m really excited to be with them.”
Shildt has dubbed the Padres’ back-end quartet of Suarez, Adam, Morejon and Jeremiah Estrada “the Four Horsemen.” Morejon is perhaps not as well known as the other three. But there’s a case to be made that he has been the Padres’ best reliever this season -- and perhaps the best left-hander in the National League.
In 45 appearances entering Friday, Morejon had a 1.71 ERA with a 0.83 WHIP. He has been a master at limiting baserunners and hard contact, allowing just nine walks across 42 innings, with an expected ERA of 1.80, per Statcast -- the best mark in the NL among qualified relievers.
On Thursday night, Shildt asked Morejon for five crucial outs in a key divisional matchup against Arizona. As ever, Morejon delivered.
“He pitched like an All-Star tonight, I’ll tell you that much,” Shildt said afterward -- and he was more right than he knew.
It’s the first trip to the Midsummer Classic for Morejon, whose ascendancy has been remarkable -- and crucial for the Padres this season. Tanner Scott departed in free agency last winter, leaving a glaring hole in the San Diego bullpen. The Padres needed a lock-down lefty, and Morejon has emerged as exactly that.
An international signing from the Padres’ 2016 class, Morejon is pitching in his seventh big league season. He’s endured his share of ups and downs -- injuries, demotions, ever-changing roles. But Morejon has clearly found a home in the Padres bullpen over the past couple seasons.
“The best word that I can [use to] describe it is ‘maturity,’” Morejon said. “I’ve gone through a lot of things over the past couple years, whether it’s injuries, mentally. But I know I had a great group of staff, whether it’s pitching coaches, trainers, anybody that’s been able to help me out to really become mature over these past years.”
The Padres will be sending three pitchers to the All-Star Game for the first time since 2007 when starters Jake Peavy and Chris Young and closer Trevor Hoffman earned the honor. Suarez leads the Majors in saves, with 27 entering Friday, and owns a 3.63 ERA. Adam, meanwhile, has a 1.74 mark with 22 holds.
Prior to this year’s selections, 28 teams had two relievers selected to an All-Star Game. But this will mark the first time any Padres team has sent multiple relief pitchers -- a somewhat surprising fact considering the excellent setup/closer combos in San Diego over the years.
“I’m glad to see our relieving corps get the rightful attention … to see those guys getting their right [accolades] and acknowledgement,” Shildt said. “And Morejon is more than deserving of that. I’m super happy for him.”
Adam and Morejon have been two of the Majors’ most durable relievers. Adam entered play Friday tied for the Major League lead with 46 appearances, and Morejon was one behind. With Morejon as the bullpen’s top lefty, Shildt has used him in all sorts of different scenarios.
On the Padres’ last homestand, Morejon entered a win over the Nationals in the fourth inning, then a day later, with Suarez unavailable, he pitched the ninth inning and recorded the save.
“My biggest [key] has been my mental preparedness when I’m going out there,” Morejon said. “I’m ready whenever the call is being made, whether it’s the fifth inning or the 10th inning.”
Next week, he could get that call on one of baseball’s biggest stages. He’ll be ready for it.