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Michael King was dominant as a starter for the San Diego Padres.
Primarily a reliever from 2021 through 2023, King made nine starts for the Yankees at the end of the latter season. He performed well in those outings, posting a 2.23 ERA and a 1.140 WHIP in 40.1 innings, striking out 51 batters with nine walks. That performance was enough for the Padres to make King one of the centerpieces in the trade that sent outfielder Juan Soto to New York.
King was excellent in his first full season as a starter in 2024, earning down-ballot Cy Young votes. While he continued to pitch well in 2025, King made only 15 appearances due to left knee inflammation and a pinched nerve in his right shoulder. He posted a 3.10 ERA and a 1.194 WHIP over his 247 innings in San Diego, striking out 277 batters with 89 walks.Â
King’s injury-plagued 2025 season could impact his earning power in free agency. He has performed like a top-of-the-rotation starter when healthy, but does not have an extensive history as a major league starter. That combination could make King a bargain for teams looking to fortify their rotation.
Three potential landing spots for Michael King in free agency
1. Chicago Cubs
The Cubs are looking to upgrade a rotation that is filled with question marks. Matthew Boyd was arguably the Cubs’ best starter in 2025 and was a first-time All-Star, but had not made more than 15 appearances in a season since 2019. Shota Imanaga, who returned to the Cubs after accepting the qualifying offer, regressed in virtually every aspect. Rookie Cade Horton should be a key part of the future, but he is not enough for a Cubs team with playoff aspirations.
According to Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic, King is one of the starters on the Cubs’ radar. King declined the qualifying offer, although losing a draft pick and international signing bonus money reportedly would not hinder the Cubs’ pursuit. If healthy, King and Horton could be the one-two punch the Cubs need atop their rotation.
2. Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles were one of the biggest disappointments of the 2025 season, failing to build on their success in 2023 and 2024. A lackluster offseason, which saw Baltimore sign a multitude of one-year contracts highlighted by Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano, set the tone for the season.
Based on that performance, president of baseball operations Mike Elias may be on the hot seat. Elias said that the Orioles will be aggressively looking to upgrade their roster, particularly the pitching staff, this offseason. He also indicated that losing a draft pick and international bonus money to sign a player who rejected the qualifying offer would not be a deterrent. Adding King to a rotation featuring Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish would give the Orioles a formidable trio. While King would not solve all of the Orioles’ woes, he would be a great start as Baltimore looks to return to the postseason.
3. Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox were a pleasant surprise in 2025, reaching the postseason despite trading designated hitter Rafael Devers. That postseason run came up short as the Red Sox did not have a second top-of-the-rotation arm to follow staff ace Garrett Crochet. This is something Red Sox general manager Craig Breslow is aware of, as adding another top starter is atop his wish list.
King has ties to the Boston area, having grown up in New England and graduated from high school in Rhode Island. His potentially smaller contract could be a benefit for the Red Sox as they look to retain third baseman Alex Bregman and improve the roster. King may be exactly what the Red Sox are looking for as a second option behind Crochet.
