The San Diego Padres completed some pre-Christmas shopping by snatching up one of the top remaining starting pitchers on the market. The club reportedly agreed to a three-year deal with Michael King on Thursday night, bringing back a right-hander who could reward them with a strong bounce-back season. 

King had been rumoured to be coveted by several American League East teams, so this counts as somewhat of a surprise. However, with Padres general manager A.J. Preller, no such thing exists.

Here’s a closer look at the deal. 

The San Diego Padres agreed to terms with right-hander Michael King on a three-year, $75-million deal that includes two player options, according to various reports. 

Recent reports suggested that King’s market was down to three teams: The New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles. Those clubs will now need to look elsewhere for starting pitching help. 

King was traded to San Diego in the Dec. 2023 deal that sent Juan Soto to the Yankees. He became a full-time starter in 2024 and enjoyed an impressive breakout season while garnering down-ballot Cy Young votes. 

The right-hander held a 2.95 ERA over 31 games (30 starts) and 173.2 innings, with 201 strikeouts in 2024. For context, his 27.7 strikeout rate that season was ninth among qualified MLB starters, while his 3.9 fWAR was 11th.

Such success demonstrated the immense talent that King possesses, yet he wasn’t quite the same pitcher in 2025. The right-hander dealt with a nerve issue in his right shoulder in the early part of the season and then was troubled later by left knee inflammation. 

He was limited to just 15 starts but still posted a 3.44 ERA across 73.1 innings with 76 strikeouts. 

King’s contract comes with opt-outs that offer him an opportunity to re-enter the market over the next two off-seasons. He turns 31 in May, and if he puts together a strong ’26 campaign, it’s easy to imagine him netting a long-term free-agent deal in the winter. 

The right-hander relies on a five-pitch arsenal led by a sinker, four-seamer and changeup and while he doesn’t throw particularly hard — his 93.1-m.p.h. fastball velocity ranks in the 29th percentile — he leans on movement and guile and does a good job of limiting hard contact. Even amidst his injury-plagued 2025, King’s 87.8-m.p.h. average exit velocity sat in the 84th percentile. 

The Padres intend to compete in the competitive National League West and thus needed to address a starting rotation that lost Yu Darvish to an elbow injury and Dylan Cease to free agency, with the right-hander signing a seven-year, $210-million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.

King will slot right back into the top of a rotation that also includes Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove, Randy Vasquez and JP Sears. San Diego’s starters compiled a 4.07 ERA last season, good for 16th in MLB. 

The club’s bullpen, however, carried the load for the pitching staff, ranking first in the sport with a 3.06 ERA. That group lost right-hander Robert Suarez to the Atlanta Braves, but still has some impressive pieces in place, including right-hander Mason Miller. 

MLB Trade Rumors projected a four-year, $80-million deal for King. He fell below that in both term and value.  

King profiled as secondary tier option in the starting pitcher market. Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez are considered to be in the first tier, and both remain unsigned. The left-handers figure to cost much more than King did, so if a team is seeking a more affordable option, right-hander Zac Gallen could be of interest.Â