One of the top offseason starters is returning to San Diego. Right-handed Michael King And Parents agreed on a three-year contract worth $75 million, reports MLB.com. King could opt out after 2026 and 2027. The team has not yet announced the signing. Here is the salary breakdown:
- 2026: $5 million salary and $12 million signing bonus.
- 2027: US$28 million salary ($5 million buyout if waiver is used)
- 2028: $30 million salary (no buyout if waiver used)
King, 30, spent the last two years with the Padres after returning from New York Yankees V Juan Soto trade. In 2024, King struck out 201 batters and had a 2.95 ERA in 173â…” innings, earning him seventh place in Cy Young voting. Shoulder and knee injuries limited him to 73 â…“ innings with a 3.44 ERA in 2025.
We ranked King as the 17th best free agent this offseason.and the sixth-best starting pitcher in free agency. Here's the entry:
The book about King hasn't changed much over the years, even if his role has changed this way and that a few times. He has a quality arsenal based on horizontal movements and an undeniable track record of being a top performer. Unfortunately, he is at high risk for injury as he has exceeded 75 innings twice to date. There is nothing wrong with rolling the dice, but you should be realistic about the expected outcome.
King is something of an ideal modern pitcher, possessing an extreme east-west swing (i.e. sinkers and sweepers) but also possessing an analytics-friendly four-seam fastball. He also has extensive experience as both a starter and reliever, including as a multi-inning setup specialist familiar with high-leverage situations. In the postseason, King has the versatility to help his team in any capacity.
Last month, the Padres made King a $22.025 million qualifying offer, which he rejected. They won't gain or lose any draft picks to re-sign him. Being tied to draft pick compensation may have hurt King's market, resulting in him signing a one-year contract with insurance policies for 2027 and 2028.
