Parting ways with Michael King as part of the Juan Soto and Trent Grisham trade with the San Diego Padres in December 2023 was a tough pill to swallow for the New York Yankees, but they could have a chance to reunite with the right-handed pitcher this offseason.
The Bergen Record’s Pete Caldera listed King as one of the top seven free agents the Yankees should target over the new few months if they’re looking to add to their rotation.
“The ex-Yankee is coming off a 2025 season plagued by shoulder and knee issues, limiting him to 15 starts and impacting his free agent market,” Caldera wrote.
“Given their high-salaried rotation, the Yanks might be in the one-year bin (Justin Verlander or Max Scherzer anyone?) if they’re searching here at all.”
Oct 1, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Michael King (34) pitches during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
After being picked in the 12th round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Miami Marlins, King was later traded to the Yankees in November 2017 for left-handed pitcher Caleb Smith and first baseman/outfielder Garrett Cooper.
New York brought him up for his major league debut on September 19, 2019, and he allowed zero earned runs against the Texas Rangers in his big-league debut just over a week later on September 27.
King stuck around in New York through the 2023 campaign, recording an impressive 3.38 ERA across 115 appearances and 19 starts with the team.
Would Reuniting with King Make Sense?
King was one of the best starters in all of baseball during the 2024 season, logging a 2.95 ERA in 173 2/3 frames for San Diego while finishing seventh in National League Cy Young Award voting.
The 30-year-old performed at a high level when healthy this past campaign as well with a 3.44 ERA and 76 strikeouts over 15 outings totaling 73 1/3 innings, but shoulder and knee injuries wiped out about half of his season.
King is certainly one of the more talented rotation arms available in free agency this cycle, but his durability is a real concern.
The Yankees are expected to pursue starting pitching with both Carlos Rodón and Gerrit Cole set to miss the beginning of the 2026 campaign, but the extent to which they do so is currently unknown.
The club doesn’t necessarily need any more front-end arms, which King is, and with a projected annual average salary of $23.0 million according to Spotrac, his demands may not be palatable for New York.
While King’s return would make for some good storylines, his asking price would have to drop in order for a reunion to make sense for the Yankees.
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