The New York Mets, who are seeking to strengthen their starting lineup, are showing interest in FA starter Michael King (30).
Local media such as “New York Post” and “MLB.com ” reported on the 9th (Korea Standard Time) that the Mets decided to recruit King and had a meeting with the person directly through Zoom.
It is not uncommon for clubs to meet FA players interested in recruiting during the winter meeting. This meeting does not necessarily lead to recruitment. King reportedly held video meetings with other teams as well as the Mets.
사진 확대 The New York Mets are interested in Michael King. 사진=ⓒAFPBBNews = News1
One thing is certain: the Mets are interested in King. “This is a good example of the seriousness between the two parties,” the New York Post explained.
King pitched 161 games in seven seasons for the New York Yankees (2019-23) and San Diego Padres (2024-25) with a 31-29 ERA and a 3.24 ERA.
It was traded to San Diego ahead of the last 2024 season. San Diego was one of the players who received Juan Soto from the Yankees.
King, who played as a long reliever for the Yankees, turned into a starter for San Diego. He went 18-12 with a 3.10 ERA in 46 games over two years.
Last season, he pitched only 15 games due to knee and shoulder injuries, but his pitching was good with 1.5 home runs, 3.2 walks and 9.3 strikeouts per 1.2009 innings of ERA.
MLB.com explained King’s value, citing an official’s statement that “he is probably the most talented pitcher in the starting FA market.” At the same time, he said he did not have as much experience as the top FA such as Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, and Imai Tatsuya.
The media predicted that King would not want a contract of at least five years like any other top FA. The New York Post also expected a three- to four-year contract.
King is expected to fit in well with the Mets. He was familiar with New York life because he had previous experience playing for the Yankees, and during this period, he was also with Carlos Mendoza, who is currently the Mets manager. It remains to be seen how these factors will affect the decision.
[KIM JAE HO, MK Sports Reporter]