TL;DR
Get sports gear delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
Padres reliever Adrian Morejón says working with mental performance coach Jeremías Alvarez since February 2024 has helped him manage mistakes and stay focused. The development comes as San Diego faces elimination in its best-of-five NLDS, with Game 3 scheduled for Tuesday at Petco Park.
Padres reliever Adrian Morejón says regular work with a mental performance coach has helped him move on from mistakes, a skill now in focus as San Diego tries to avoid elimination in the National League Division Series. Morejón gave up a go-ahead home run to Milwaukee’s William Contreras in Game 1, then described his focus as competing the next day rather than dwelling on the pitch.
Morejón has worked with coach Jeremías Alvarez since February 2024. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, they speak or text daily and hold a weekly hour-long online session throughout the year. Morejón credits that work, in part, with helping him handle pressure on the mound. The report says he previously tended to dwell on mistakes and could lose confidence when an inning began badly.
The right-now stakes are high: the Padres trail in a best-of-five series and are trying to stave off elimination. Morejón did not pitch in Game 2 and is expected to have a major role in Game 3, scheduled for Tuesday night at Petco Park, according to the report. The source does not specify whether he will be used in a particular inning or situation.
Morejón finished the 2026 regular season with a 2.83 ERA and 1.08 WHIP over a career-high 86 innings. He made his first All-Star team in 2025. Those figures provide a snapshot of his season; they do not establish that coaching alone caused his results.
A Reliever’s Response to Setbacks
Relievers often enter games in high-pressure moments, where one mistake can change the score and leave little time to reset. Morejón’s account offers a specific example of how a player is addressing that challenge through ongoing mental performance work alongside the physical demands of pitching. His response after Contreras’ home run is especially relevant with the Padres facing a must-win situation in Game 3.
The report also shows how a player’s recovery from injuries can involve challenges beyond mechanics. Morejón’s coach and teammates recognized that confidence and reactions to adversity needed attention. His experience is his own, and the available reporting does not establish a universal approach or quantify the coach’s effect on his performance.
mental performance coaching for athletes
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
From Injury Setbacks to Regular Work
Morejón underwent Tommy John surgery in 2021 and returned to the Padres in June 2022, pitching 34 innings that season. Further injuries limited him in 2023. He recorded a 7.00 ERA in nine major league innings that year, while his minor league results also fell short of expectations, according to the Union-Tribune report.
During the following offseason, Padres pitching coach Jose Rada worked with Morejón at the club’s Arizona complex and noticed his confidence could drop sharply after something went wrong. Rada directed him toward the mental side of his game and later gave him Alvarez’s contact information. Morejón initially waited several weeks before calling; his wife, Melany, encouraged him to try the sessions.
One early test came in spring 2024, when Morejón was told after a strong spring that he would not make the Opening Day roster and would report to Triple-A El Paso. He recalled accepting the assignment without the reaction he might previously have had. The Union-Tribune report presents that moment as an example of how he felt his approach had changed.
““Today it happened to be my day that I give up a home run. It’s about competing the following day and figuring out how to be better tomorrow.””
— Adrian Morejón, after Game 1
What the Report Does Not Establish
The report describes Morejón’s own account and comments from Padres staff, but it does not quantify how much the coaching affected his statistics or separate that influence from health, preparation, defense and other factors. The relationship’s details are described broadly; the report does not identify specific techniques or provide Alvarez’s account.
Morejón’s expected role in Game 3 is not defined, and his availability or workload for that game is not specified. The series outcome and the Padres’ plans beyond the scheduled game were also unresolved in the report.
Padres Face Game 3 at Home
The Padres are scheduled to host the Brewers in Game 3 on Tuesday night at Petco Park, with San Diego trying to keep its season alive. Morejón is expected to play a major role, though his precise usage will depend on the game and the team’s decisions.
That game will provide the next immediate test of the reliever’s ability to reset after a difficult outing. The report does not state what the Padres will do if the series continues, or how Morejón’s role might change in a later game.
Key Questions
Who is Adrian Morejón’s mental performance coach?
Jeremías Alvarez, an athlete-focused mental performance coach, has worked with Morejón since February 2024, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
How often do Morejón and Alvarez work together?
The report says they communicate by phone or text each day and have a one-hour online session each week throughout the year.
What is at stake for the Padres in Game 3?
San Diego is trying to avoid elimination in its best-of-five National League Division Series against Milwaukee. Game 3 is scheduled for Tuesday night at Petco Park.
What were Morejón’s 2026 regular-season numbers?
Morejón finished the regular season with a 2.83 ERA and 1.08 WHIP while pitching 86 innings, a career high, according to the report.
Did the report prove the coaching improved his statistics?
No. Morejón credits the work as one factor in his development, but the report does not quantify the coach’s effect or establish that the sessions caused his on-field results.
Source: google-trends
NFL season / tailgating Picks
team gear
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
