The San Diego Padres stuffed a winter\u2019s worth of player moves into the first week of Spring Training. It began with the Miguel Andujar signing and concluded with the Ty France minor league deal. The front office is looking for an offensive upgrade.<\/p>\n
However, none of the player moves that occurred could match the importance of re-signing Michael King to a three-year, $75 million deal. The announcement of his return to the Padres was the Friday before Christmas Day. It lifted the spirits of the Friar Faithful, as King has become the emerging face of the pitching staff.<\/p>\n
Injuries derailed King\u2019s 2025 season<\/p>\n
It was interesting to hear him <\/a>remark that a change of address would have left unfinished business with the organization. The anticipation of his 2026 Cactus League debut is unmatched by those who trek to Peoria, Ariz. He dealt with right shoulder nerve impingement and left knee inflammation that limited him to 15 starts and 73.1 innings pitched last season. Shoulder injuries tend to sap a pitcher\u2019s arm strength, which could keep them out of action for an extended time. Many trainers believe King\u2019s knee inflammation can be attributed to his anxiousness to get back on the mound sooner than expected.<\/p>\n Right now, there is no rush to get him into games. Instead, the plan is for King to participate in scheduled throwing sessions at the Peoria Sports Complex. All will be good if he is ahead of the curve and pitches like his vintage self.<\/p>\n Keeping King healthy removes the need to use the Padres\u2019 starting pitching depth earlier than necessary.<\/p>\n Petco Park is his kingdom.<\/p>\n
Padres manager Craig Stammen has indicated that he will use a \u201cslow-play\u201d<\/a> approach toward King\u2019s workload during the early stage of spring games. Keep in mind, he arrived at Peoria with no restrictions, as the Friars training staff has deemed King fully healthy from last year\u2019s injuries.<\/p>\n