Michael King's New Chapter with Padres

The San Diego Padres have officially retained pitcher Michael King as he signs a three-year, $75 million contract, as reported by Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. This new deal comes on the heels of King opting out of a mutual $15 million option, a move influenced by his recent injury history.

King's performance in the 2025 season was hampered by injuries, leading to two trips to the injured list and limiting him to just 15 starts. When on the mound, King posted a respectable 3.44 ERA, although he allowed 1.5 homers per nine innings due to hard contact, partly attributed to a pinched nerve in his right shoulder that sidelined him for nearly three months. Despite these challenges, prior seasons, particularly from 2022 to 2024, demonstrated his potential with an impressive 2.79 ERA and 394 strikeouts over 329.1 innings.

After joining the Padres from the New York Yankees, where he was traded in December 2023 as part of the Juan Soto deal, King flourished in his first season with San Diego, finishing seventh in the NL Cy Young voting with a stellar 2.95 ERA and 201 strikeouts in 173.2 innings.

Looking Ahead to the 2026 Season

With King locked in, the Padres are aiming for stability within their rotation, especially considering recent roster changes. The departure of Dylan Cease to the Toronto Blue Jays and Yu Darvish's upcoming season-long absence due to elbow surgery adds more pressure on the remaining pitchers.

Alongside King, the Padres will be looking to Nick Pivetta and Randy Vásquez as they work to solidify their starting lineup for the upcoming season. Although King has only 64 starts in his seven-season career, this contract signifies the Padres' confidence in his ability to emerge as a frontline starter, with the hope of leading them to postseason success in 2026.