The San Diego Padres currently boast a solid starting rotation, but that could change this offseason. Dylan Cease is expected to enter free agency, and Michael King might also be on the move. According to former MLB general manager and current insider Jim Bowden, King could hit free agency via a mutual option.
“King has climbed to the top of the starting pitcher market by simply outperforming his peers,” Bowden wrote. “He’s posted a sub-3.00 ERA in each of the last four seasons. Last year, he went 13-9 with a 2.95 ERA over 31 appearances (30 starts). So far this season, he’s sporting a 2.59 ERA through 10 starts, with 64 strikeouts and 17 walks.”
King’s ERA currently ranks 13th among MLB starting pitchers, just behind rookie standout Paul Skenes. His consistency has played a key role in keeping the Padres within reach of the National League West lead—they entered Thursday just 1.5 games out of first place.
Bowden also highlighted King’s durability as a major plus. “The fact that he’s thrown only 477 major-league innings adds to his value,” he noted. King has a $15 million mutual option for 2026 that’s widely expected to be declined in favor of a $3.75 million buyout.
If King becomes a free agent, he’s projected to be one of the most coveted arms on the market at just 29 years old. With the Los Angeles Dodgers dealing with a slew of pitching injuries, they’re likely to be among the teams pursuing him. Spotrac projects King could land a four-year, $71 million deal—but the Padres are expected to make an effort to keep him in San Diego.
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