[Passan] Right-hander Michael King and the San Diego Padres are in agreement on a three-year, $75 million contract, sources tell ESPN. The deal allows King to opt out after the 2026 and 2027 seasons. @Feinsand was first on the news.

50 comments

  3. Solid deal for both. He gets a bag, can opt out next year without the QO, Pads retain a good member of the rotation.

  4. Damn. Well, good for Mike. If he’s healthy, then he’ll get more. If he isn’t, he’s got his money.

  7. Makes sense, King was hurt a lot in 2025 and if he has a good season next year – he’ll opt out and hit the market again without the burden of a QO on him. Just surprised it was with the Padres, figured he would end up back on the east coast after all the reports of him being courted by the AL East teams.

  11. I thought there was a decent chance he would accept the qualifying offer. Good thing he didn’t because this deal is better in every way. More flexibility, higher AAV, longer.

  12. This deal makes little sense for any team that is not the Padres

    Like the Mets or Yankees or another high CBT team sign him you’re giving up 2 draft picks and $1mil in international money for him to leave after one year

    Or he struggled and it’s backloaded as hell and they trade him

    Good deal for King and the Padres

  13. well does this kill the rumors that the pads are trying to sell of pieces to cut down payroll?? because king reaaaallllly got paid lol.

  18. Can’t argue with that contract, gives the Padres a pitcher they desperately needed while giving King a chance to prove he’s healthy.

  20. The risk-reward here seems pretty heavily in King’s favor. If he turns in another 2024 type season he just walks after collecting 1/22, which the Padres come out ahead on but not by a ton. If the thoracic outlet syndrome causes regression the Padres are going to end up with yet another albatross.

  24. These opt out contracts run the risk of ruining MLB’s recent resurgent popularity

    Half these big signings now come with the caveat “if he does well he’s going to opt out and leave my team.”

    When you call these opt options what they really are, which is “vesting options for sucking” they look ugly

    So, congratulations Padres! You got your man — he wanted to be there so bad he made sure he had a “leave immediately” clause

    What’s next? A “you have to trade me to a winner midseason if we’re under .500” clause?

  25. He looked at the weather outside in NYC this week and said “fuck that”

    But in all seriousness, he clearly knows/likes the org, and he doesn’t have to move his wife or newborn baby back to the East Coast.

    Glad he got his money, glad it wasn’t Baltimore or Boston or Queens.

    edit: Missed the part about the opt outs. I guess if he has a great year, he can opt out and try again. If he has a bad year, he can stick around.

    Is it just me or is San Diego giving these weird deals where the player has all the leverage? The Wandy Peralta deal basically lets him opt out every year of a 4 year deal, the Pivetta deal is similarly structured, I think. I get that they need people to stay, but it screws SDP over if they’re bad.

  27. So it’s not a three year contract. It’s a one year contract with two player options. Why do they report it like that?

  32. well darn

    least he’s not going to the Yankees or Red Sox

    and he looks good in a Padres uniform

    but still

    darn.

  33. It just didn’t make sense for any other team to give up two high picks for a two or three year deal.

  37. It’s nice to see that the Padres sale is not affecting their ability to spend right now. Meanwhile Arte won’t sell the team or sign any good players

  38. The Padres and Mets have been Debbie downers this offseason so good to see one of them nail a positive.

  40. I’m sure there are AL East fans who still think they’ll be able to get Tatis after this.

    Either way, welcome back King

  45. That’s so killer for the Dads. Feels like a mistake by the King camp?? Maybe I’m just higher on him than actual teams are.

  46. I really wish he threw in “Red Sox were interested” at the end just for the memes haha

  48. The QO nuked King’s market but at least he recouped what he would have earned on a one year deal.

  49. The Padres are trying to stretch their contending window to win a WS. As soon as it happens or it becomes clear that the window is over they are going to blow the whole thing up hard.

  50. If Pivetta isn’t dealt, a rotation of him, King and Musgrove as the top 3 looks pretty solid.

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