New York — The Yankees’ rotation puzzle just gained an interesting piece. With their rotation thin and uncertain, the timing of one of their former star’s availability could hardly be more intriguing.
Michael King, a key figure in the blockbuster Juan Soto trade, is once again available on the open market. On November 2, King declined his $15 million mutual option with San Diego, opting for a $3.75 million buyout and testing free agency.
The 30-year-old spent five seasons in New York before the Yankees traded him to the Padres in December 2023 for Soto and Trent Grisham. That deal helped New York make a run to the World Series, but Soto left for the Mets afterward on a massive 15-year, $765 million contract. Grisham also opted out this offseason, leaving the Yankees with little to show for that trade — unless King finds his way back to the Bronx.
Injuries create Yankees opening nobody expected
The Yankees are entering 2026 with a pitching crisis few could have predicted. Gerrit Cole underwent Tommy John surgery and is not expected back until mid-2026. Carlos Rodón had an elbow procedure and will miss the start of the season. Clarke Schmidt also remains sidelined following surgery and isn’t expected to return until late in the year.
That leaves Max Fried, Luis Gil, Will Warren, and Cam Schlittler as the likely starters come Opening Day. It’s a rotation with one ace and three inexperienced arms — hardly the setup for a deep postseason run.
Cole will be 35 when he returns, assuming his recovery stays on track. There’s uncertainty about how effective he will be post-surgery. Rodon’s long injury history adds to the concern. The Yankees finished 2025 with a strong 3.61 rotation ERA, fourth-best in baseball, but those numbers now feel hollow given the looming injury cloud hanging over 2026.
What King brings after California stint
After being traded, King thrived in San Diego’s rotation. In 2024, he transitioned successfully from reliever to full-time starter, making 30 starts and posting a 2.95 ERA across 173⅔ innings. He struck out 27.7 percent of hitters and walked just 8.7 percent, finishing seventh in National League Cy Young voting.
The Rochester native proved he could handle a full starter’s workload after years in the bullpen. His 2024 season was by far his best, with a ground ball rate of 40.4 percent and a run value ranking among the top 10 percent of pitchers in MLB.
But 2025 told a different story. King’s season was cut short by injuries. He missed more than three months due to a long thoracic nerve issue that weakened his shoulder, followed by a knee problem that surfaced during his recovery. Despite the setbacks, he still managed a 3.44 ERA in 15 games with 76 strikeouts over 73⅓ innings.
The Padres have extended King a $22.05 million qualifying offer, but he’s expected to decline it in search of a multi-year contract.
Medical records hold the key
King’s medical history will be crucial in determining his market. Analysts have speculated that his contract value will depend heavily on how teams view his health.
The Yankees, who never wanted to trade King in the first place, could see an opportunity. “The Yankees didn’t want to trade Michael King two offseasons ago, but to get Juan Soto, that’s what it took, so they traded him,” said MLB insider Mike Axisa earlier this month. “King, after one excellent season and one good but injured year with the Padres, is a free agent this winter, giving the Yankees an opportunity to bring back a pitcher they never wanted to part with in the first place.”
Former general manager Jim Bowden also noted, “His medicals will determine the type of contract he gets this offseason, and it is difficult to predict his contract without seeing those records.”
That uncertainty could actually benefit the Yankees. If King’s medical reports show lingering risk, it could lower his asking price and make a short-term reunion more realistic. However, a clean bill of health might push him out of their range financially.
Numbers paint complex picture
Spotrac projects King’s market value around $91 million over four years — roughly $22.75 million per year. Others believe he may land closer to three years and $75 million due to his 2025 injury issues.
King has thrown just 421⅓ career innings over six MLB seasons, much of that time spent in the bullpen. He wouldn’t reach 500 innings until midway through his next contract, a stat that makes teams cautious about committing long-term money to a starter with limited mileage.
The qualifying offer complicates his free agency, as signing King would cost the acquiring team a draft pick. The Padres, who exceeded the luxury tax, would receive a compensatory selection after the fourth round. While the Yankees have been willing to forfeit draft picks for impact talent, they typically reserve that move for clear-cut upgrades.
Familiar faces make reunion logical
King knows the Yankees organization as well as anyone. He’s pitched under the bright lights of Yankee Stadium and understands the New York media landscape.
Pitching coach Matt Blake, who guided King during his Yankees tenure, remains in place. Blake has built a strong reputation for maximizing pitchers’ potential, and their reunion could help King rediscover his peak form if he’s fully healthy.
The Yankees value trust and familiarity when it comes to player acquisitions, and King fits both. He grew up a Yankees fan in upstate New York, which makes the connection even more meaningful.
During the 2025 season, King referenced Aaron Judge’s leadership example when discussing his mindset.
“I know Aaron Judge turned down an extension going into his last year,” King told MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell. “His whole thing was he was going to make the person next to him the best player that they could be. And all he was going to do was try to care about wins.”
Decision defines offseason approach
The Yankees’ front office faces a pivotal decision. They can chase King in free agency, confident in their familiarity with him, or look elsewhere for pitching help. The market for reliable starters is thin, and internal options are unproven.
General manager Brian Cashman is under pressure to stabilize a rotation that crumbled under injuries in 2025. Cole’s surgery changed everything, and the team can’t risk another year where health issues derail their championship hopes.
King represents both risk and reward — a pitcher capable of delivering mid-rotation reliability or missing extended time due to health setbacks.
Whether the Yankees act on the opportunity remains to be seen. The move makes sense on paper, but medical concerns and draft-pick penalties could still block a reunion. Over the next few weeks, the Yankees’ offseason direction will reveal whether the Soto trade comes full circle and delivers one final return — in the form of Michael King back in pinstripes.
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