Michael King, SP

Position: SP B/T: R/R
Age: 29 (05/25/1995)

2024 Traditional Stats: 31 G (30 starts), 173 2/3 IP, 2.95 ERA, 1.192 WHIP, 13-9, 201 K, 63 BB
2024 Advanced Stats: 139 ERA+, 27.7% K%, 8.7% BB%, 3.59 xERA, 3.33 FIP, 3.50 xFIP, 3.9 fWAR, 4.2 bWAR

Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Rundown

Up until 2023, Michael King was almost exclusively used as a reliever. Late that season, however, the Yankees shifted King to the starting rotation, and he posted a sparkling 1.88 ERA over eight starts to end the season. The Yankees then shipped King to San Diego as part of the Juan Soto trade, where the right-hander experienced his first full season as a starter.

King exceeded all expectations in 2024, posting career highs in innings and strikeouts en route to a seventh-place finish in Cy Young voting. He was especially dominant in the second half, recording a 2.15 ERA with 72 strikeouts against 21 walks while only giving up three homers in 62 2/3 innings. King carried this dominance into his first postseason start, striking out 12 batters and walking none over seven shutout innings, leading the Padres to a 4-0 victory over the Braves. King threw six innings only twice in 2023, but he made it through at least six frames in 15 of his 30 starts in 2024, allowing three or fewer runs in 14 of those outings.

King excelled at limiting loud contact, posting a career-low 30.5% hard-hit rate and allowing an average exit velocity of just 84.9 miles per hour – both of which rank in the top three percent in the majors. While his ground-ball rate dropped to 40%, his fly-ball rate also decreased to 23.7%, and his home run rate remained at 2.3%.

King relied on a five-pitch mix in 2024 – a sinker, four-seamer, change-up, sweeper, and slider. While his velocity dipped from 2023 (natural as he moves from reliever to starter), his sinker improved to a plus-seven run value, with its whiff rate increasing from 15.7% to 18.9%. Interestingly enough, King’s velocity was at its lowest in April, but at its highest in September. King’s four-seamer took a step back, and he became more effective once he made the sinker his primary fastball. His sweeper got hit hard in 2023, and while it didn’t quite revert to its effectiveness from the 2022 season, it improved to a plus-1 run value. King’s most effective pitch for the second year in a row, however, was his change-up. He used the pitch 24.6% of the time, the most usage it has ever gotten, and he generated a 36.2% whiff rate and a strong plus-10 run value. While his overall numbers may not be as sparkling as they were as a reliever, 2024 was King’s most complete season in the majors.

Package

King is set to hit free agency following the 2025 season. He and the Padres are likely headed to arbitration, as the two sides have yet to come to an agreement on a contract – King filed at $8.8 million, while the club countered with $7.3 million.

Given that he’s a rental, King may not command as hefty of a return – the Brewers got two solid prospects in DL Hall and Joey Ortiz when they dealt Corbin Burnes to Baltimore a year ago. Brett Baty still appears to be expendable, though that could change if Pete Alonso signs elsewhere. Drew Gilbert, coming off a down year, is also moveable, especially after the acquisitions of Soto and Jose Siri. San Diego would probably want at least one arm as well, especially one who could be in the majors in the near future.

Mets Receive

  • Michael King

Padres Receive

Recommendation

David Stearns should be calling A.J. Preller, trying to swing a deal for King. The Mets’ rotation still needs a little bit more stability if they want to compete with the Dodgers in the National League, and King could provide just that. A former Yankee, King could reunite with his former bench coach, Carlos Mendoza, his former teammates Clay Holmes and Frankie Montas, and he can finally play with the man he was traded for – Juan Soto. Even if it’s just for a year, King and the Mets seem like a perfect match.