The Boston Red Sox could use another starting pitcher with upside this offseason and fortunately there will be plenty of options for the taking.
We’re in arguably the most interesting time of the offseason. The reason for this is that players can sign, but none of the big-name guys have, so there is still hope that any team could sign them. There are a handful of free agents that could help the Red Sox, not just the top guys like Framber Valdez or Dylan Cease. There are plenty of arms out there and The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman, Chad Jennings, and Tim Britton floated Boston as a fit for San Diego Padres starter Michael King.
“A healthy 2025 might have placed King as the top free agent starter on the market, but a thoracic nerve issue and then a knee injury caused him to miss half of the season,” Jennings said. “He made only 15 starts in the regular season and pitched one inning out of the bullpen in the playoffs. In 2024, though, King made 30 starts with a 2.95 ERA, garnering him down-ballot Cy Young Award votes.
Sep 27, 2025; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King (34) delivers during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images / Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
“Now 30 years old, King broke into the leagues as a Yankees spot starter and multi-inning reliever. He won a permanent spot in their rotation at the end of 2023 and went to the Padres that December as a key piece of the Juan Soto trade. The Padres kept using him as a starter, and he thrived in that role, throwing a four-pitch mix from a deceptive three-quarters arm slot. King has proven he has the stuff to be a good big league starter, but he’s only once thrown as many as 105 innings in a major-league season. … Britton’s projection: 3 years, $75 million. Best fits: (Boston Red Sox), (Detroit Tigers), (New York Mets).”
King is an intriguing guy to consider. King is 30 years old and had a 3.44 ERA in 15 starts before his season was cut short in 2025. The year before, he had a 2.95 ERA in his first season as a full-time starting pitcher.
He was a key piece in the trade that sent Juan Soto to the New York Yankees. Boston fans will remember King as he spent the first five seasons of his career in New York, although he mainly came out of the bullpen in New York.
King is someone who has legit No. 1 or No. 2 starter upside, but will not get as big of a contract in free agency, like Valdez, because of the time he missed in 2025. This is the type of move that would move the needle.
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