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Yankees linked to reunion with Michael King.
The New York Mets are slowly getting going this offseason, but for the most part, it’s been a disappointing winter. They have lost the likes of Brandon Nimmo, Pete Alonso, and Edwin Diaz. The Mets’ signings and additions include Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, and Devin Williams.
One of the team’s top needs is starting pitching. The Mets dealt with a cast of revolving arms last season, which led to them missing the playoffs. Nolan McLean looks to be a future piece of this rotation, but he’s young, and the Mets’ other top options include Clay Holmes and David Peterson. Those are solid options, but New York could use another dominant starter.
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Mets Predicted to Land Michael King
After Dylan Cease signed with the Blue Jays, the next best starter options include southpaws Ranger Suarez and Framber Valdez.
Falling in the next group of formidable arms that will ink a multi-year deal is former San Diego Padres‘ starter Michael King.
In a recent Bleacher Report article by writer Erik Beaston, the Mets are predicted to land starter Michael King in free agency:
GettyStarting pitcher Michael King.
“One season after a Cy Young-worthy 2024, King struggled with injury and played in just 15 games, going 5-3 with a 3.44 ERA and 76 strikeouts. His WAR dropped from 4.1 to 1.2, but the tools are still there for him to be an above-average starter, for a team that needs one.”
“Prediction: Mets sign King”
Due to the injuries that limited him to just 15 starts last season, it’s unclear what King’s market will look like. According to Spotrac, King has a market value of $23 million and a four-year projection of $91 million. Some teams may not want to commit to him for that long, but King has shown over the past two seasons to be a dominant starter if he’s out on the mound.
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Michael King Has Transitioned Into a Solid Starter
Michael King’s career arc includes a transition from a bullpen arm to a productive starter.
He came up with the New York Yankees back in 2019. After a rough 2020 campaign (7.76 ERA), King started to settle in as a solid bullpen option, and by 2022, he posted a 2.29 ERA in 51 innings out of the bullpen. At that moment, the Yankees knew they could use King as a long-relief option.
King started to transition into a starter in 2023 when he made nine starts with the Yankees. Upon his arrival with the San Diego Padres in 2024, King became a full-time starter. His best season as a pro came in 2024, when he made 30 starts and posted a 2.95 ERA over 173.2 innings and 201 strikeouts.
If the Mets are not targeting either Framber Valdez or Ranger Suarez, Michael King is the next best option in free agency.
There are also other names New York could pursue in the trade market (Mitch Keller, Joe Ryan, MacKenzie Gore, etc.), which may actually be a more cost-efficient option for the Mets.
However, regardless of how they do it, the Mets’ pitching staff needs to be improved before the 2026 season.
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