By now, New York Yankees fans already know that the Toronto Blue Jays signed pitcher Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract.
If Cease pitches up to his capability, the deal is understandable, but based on his inconsistent history, most have agreed that this was a massive overpay for a guy who posted a 4.55 ERA with the San Diego Padres this past season.
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The Yankees were never going to sign Cease anyway, so losing out on the 29-year-old really isn’t a huge deal. However, the contract the Blue Jays handed Cease may have just ruined things for New York regarding another free-agent arm: Michael King.
Of course, King spent his first five big-league seasons with the Yankees between 2019 and 2023, mostly serving as a reliever before being traded to the Padres in a deal that brought Juan Soto to the Bronx two years ago. But the right-hander became a very different pitcher in San Diego.
While King was always good in his role with the Yanks, he blossomed into a frontline starter with the Friars, logging a 2.95 ERA while averaging 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings in 2024. That was over 31 outings and 30 starts. He missed half of 2025 due to knee and shoulder issues, but when he was on the mound, he was impressive, registering a 3.44 ERA across 15 starts.
Michael King. Credit:Â David Frerker-Imagn Images.
The Rochester, N.Y. native is on the free-agent market this winter, and Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has already said he has checked in with King.
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However, that was before Cease landed his megadeal in Toronto.
King’s price now surely increased given that he amassed a 3.10 ERA through 46 games with the Padres in 2024 and 2025, and while he is 30 years old, he is still young enough to land a rather lucrative long-term pact.
Sure, King’s injuries this past season may scare some teams away, but you know how the market works by now. Rising tides lift all boats, so King could be in line for a rather significant pay day now that Cease just bagged $30 million annually over seven years.
The general consensus has been that King will land a five-year contract worth around $90 million, but that has likely seen an uptick thanks to his former teammate becoming rich.
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Would New York be willing to shell out over $100 million to a guy who has only made 64 career starts? It remains to be seen.
Perhaps King — who loved his time in the Bronx — would be willing to accept a bit less to return home, but this is also likely the one big contract that the former Miami Marlins draft pick will land throughout his career.
It would certainly be nice for the Yankees to reunite with King. He is a tremendous pitcher when healthy. But New York may be priced out thanks to its AL East rival.