Adrian Morejon Could Be Missing Piece to Phillies Bullpen

The Philadelphia Phillies are entering a crucial offseason, following another early playoff exit for the team.

Philadelphia has a few areas to address along the roster, with the front office having some work to do. The team has gone after big moves consistently, and there is no reason to believe that this will change this offseason.

But the impending lockout coming to baseball could alter how the Phillies have operated in the past. However, it remains to be seen whether the Phillies will make some moves prior to the CBA expiring on December 1.

As Philadelphia looks around the league for some help, the team has been linked to left-hander Adrian Morejon, who has been with the San Diego Padres. Morejon is expected to be one of the more sought-after arms on the market this year, but he could help the Phillies out greatly.

With the Padres this past season, Morejon posted a 2.83 ERA over 76 appearances, coming up huge for the team. The left-hander threw 86 innings this year, striking out 107 batters in the process.

Morejon has become one of the elite relief pitchers in the game, and the Phillies could use him for late-game situations. Pairing him with closer Jhoan Duran would give the Phillies one of the more lethal one-two punches in the game.

Philadelphia needs someone to help get the ball to Duran, and Morejon could be the answer for the team. The left-hander has been used in high-leverage situations with the Padres, getting the team to star closer Mason Miller.

Morejon has an incredible changeup that he uses to shut down hitters, while using his 99 mph fastball to his advantage. His strikeout rate increased this season, raising to 30.4 percent, which was a career high for the lefty.

But Morejon has been good for the Padres for multiple seasons, with him posting an ERA under 3.00 for three straight years. If Philadelphia reallt wants to make a splash move, going after Morejon could be the answer.

The Phillies bullpen was a mess, other than Duran, with the team finishing with the 21st-ranked ERA. This won't get the job done for a team with World Series aspirations, and the front office has to address this.

Overall, Morejon could be the missing piece to the Phillies' bullpen, and the front office should look to bring him into the mix, even if the price is high.