Padres Star Expresses Gratitude After Yankees Trade to San Diego
The San Diego Padres made a significant trade when they acquired Juan Soto from the Washington Nationals in August 2022, giving up key prospects like CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore, and James Wood—who have since become regulars for the rebuilding Nationals.
However, the Padres also made a big move in December 2023, trading Soto to the New York Yankees in exchange for several players, including Michael King, Kyle Higashioka, Randy Vasquez, and Dylan Cease. The contributions of King, Higashioka, and others have already been crucial to the Padres’ success in 2024, making it hard to imagine the season without them. Additionally, the Padres received Drew Thorpe, a pitching prospect, in the separate package tied to the Soto trade, which complicates any immediate judgment about which team “won” the deal.
One player who’s already reflecting positively on the trade is Michael King. The right-hander, who thrived after joining the Padres, feels the move was a win for his career.
“I definitely think I was given a longer leash as a starter over here,” King said this week in New York, according to AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. “I think that [pitching coach] Ruben [Niebla] has been incredible for my development. … He knew how to manage my innings, but also make sure that I was strong enough to get through a full season and be strong for the following year. I think [the trade] was great for my development as a starter.”
King began 2023 as a reliever for the Yankees but finished the season in the rotation, posting a remarkable 1.88 ERA over eight starts. That performance caught the Padres’ attention, prompting General Manager AJ Preller to request King as part of the Soto trade package. Yankees GM Brian Cashman had initially been reluctant to deal King, but the acquisition of Soto helped propel New York back to the World Series for the first time in 15 years.
Since joining San Diego, King has continued to thrive. Through 39 games (38 starts) as a Padre, he holds a 17-10 record with a 2.80 ERA. This season, he’s 4-1 with a 2.22 ERA, including a complete-game shutout.
“I was going to come in as a starter in 2024, had the trade not happened,” King admitted. “But you have no idea. They have a ton of talent over there that has emerged. … I’m very happy with where I’m at.”
Leave a Reply