Cubs may have found a different way to make Adrian Morejon fit into free agency plans

Chicago Cubs fans got an unfortunate dose of cold water splashed in their face last week when various insiders suggested that they wouldn't seriously be in the running for Adrian Morejon. The report itself wasn't too surprising -- Jed Hoyer has never been one to spend big on relief pitchers -- but it was certainly disappointing after we all just suffered through a dismal showing from the bullpen in 2026.

However, that doesn't necessarily mean that a Cubs pursuit of the southpaw is totally dead in the water. Astute observers will remember that Morejon began his career as a starter, making eight starts between 2019-21 while trying to find his footing in the big leagues. That's a demographic Hoyer has been far more willing to pony up for in the past.

Now, Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic is floating that very possibility, suggesting that the Cubs could "look to convert dominant left-handed reliever Adrian Morejon into a starter." It'd be a bold bet from the organization; it could pay tremendous dividends if it hits, but that'll only happen in exactly the right conditions.

Adrian Morejon is great, but he might push the Cubs too far beyond their comfort zone

Logistically, there's no doubting that Morejon has the talent to make things work as a member of a rotation: Over the past two seasons, he leads all left-handed relievers in fWAR (5.1) and appearances (151) and is second in FIP (2.33) behind only Aroldis Chapman. His Baseball Savant page is also ridiculous, flashing bright red everywhere you look, as he induces chases (38.6%, 99th percentile) and whiffs (34.2%, 97th percentile) more frequently than just about anyone else in baseball.

We've seen reliever-to-starter conversions work in recent history. Michael King (another prominent Cubs target) has become a genuine Game 1 starter after emerging as a bullpen ace, while Clay Holmes became good enough to get the Cubs to forfeit Jefferson Rojas at the trade deadline. Morejon could easily follow in their footsteps with the right guidance and proper development plan.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of hurdles to overcome to bring this plan to fruition. For one thing, Morejon himself said he wants to remain a reliever, which means a team will have to do a whole heck of a lot to convince him to give up on his aspirations of becoming a full-time closer.

In other words, someone is going to have to pay him a lot of money. Unfortunately, Sharma suggested that the Cubs would probably only be interested in Morejon (the starter) at a price point similar to what Holmes got from the Mets (three years, $38 million) when he first began his transition to the starting five. That's not even going to get Hoyer in the door; Morejon will blow past that total as a pure reliever.

Consider the fact that the left-hander is also attached to the qualifying offer and this whole process starts to get more complicated than it might be worth. Morejon is a worthy target if the Cubs find their hearts (and wallets) opening to various possibilities, but those "exact conditions" I mentioned might never come to pass.

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