The Blue Jays predicted to give Padres reliever Adrian Morejón a four-year, $68 million deal this winter. That's a lot of money for a bullpen that already worked.

Christopher Kline made the call, projecting a $17 million average annual value. He pictured Morejón setting up Louis Varland, with Tyler Rogers and Spencer Miles covering other late innings.

"The Blue Jays figure to be as aggressive as any team this offseason," Kline wrote. He called the setup "a tantalizing proposition."

The resume is strong. Morejón posted a 2.83 ERA with 107 strikeouts across 76 games in 2026.

He was even better in 2025, an All-Star season with a 2.08 ERA over 75 appearances. He's kept his ERA at 2.83 or lower in each of the last three years.

He's also only 27, which helps explain why Kline expects real contract length in a reliever-needy market.

A $17 million setup man doesn't fit Toronto's priorities

The problem is the fit. Toronto's bullpen ranked fourth in MLB with a 3.30 ERA, led by Varland's breakout and Rogers' steady work.

The lineup, meanwhile, finished last in the majors in runs and home runs. That's where the big money has to go first.

Isn't a deep bullpen worth paying for? It is, but relievers are volatile.

Relievers who saved 30-plus games in 2025 saw their combined save total drop 43% in 2026.

Four years and $68 million for a setup man is a bad allocation for this roster. Toronto would be buying a luxury before fixing the foundation.

It's like installing a heated garage floor in a house with a leaky roof. Nice to have, but it won't keep the rain out.

Cheaper options exist. Brock Burke, Steven Okert and Paul Blackburn have all been floated as bullpen additions that wouldn't eat into the budget for bats.

If Ross Atkins lands his big bats first and still has room, Morejón becomes a fun luxury. Spending on him before that would be getting the order exactly backwards.