Sun, 1 Nov, 2026, 07:26 pm
Reported by San Diego Union-Tribune
The Padres might lose left-hander Adrian Morejón, the lynchpin of their bullpen, to free agency. But they will retain three others — Kyle Hart, Yuki Matsui and Wandy Peralta.
The team on Saturday informed Hart they would exercise his $2.5 million option for 2027 and received word from Matsui and Peralta that they would not opt out of their contracts.
Matsui is due $6.5 million in 2027. He has another opportunity to opt out before 2028, when he is due $7 million. Peralta will make $4.45 million in 2027, the final season of his four-year contract.
The only (mild) surprise was Matsui, who had a breakout 2026 while being asked to work increasingly in higher-leverage situations. After posting a 3.86 ERA and allowing a .303 on-base percentage in his first two MLB seasons, the 31-year-old Matsui lowered those numbers to 1.83 and .288 in 2026, as he pitched 64 innings across 54 games.
Peralta, 35, began the season strong before finishing with a 3.61 ERA in 77 ⅓ innings, working almost exclusively in games the Padres trailed.
