NEW YORK — Brian Cashman wants Michael King back. So does Detroit. So does Chicago. The bidding war everyone expected is officially underway. But there is a catch that could change everything.
The Yankees traded King two years ago because they had to. Now they want him back because they need him. What happened in between tells only part of the story. What happened to his body in 2025 tells the rest.
Multiple teams have expressed interest in the former Yankees right-hander. The Tigers jumped into the race this week. The Cubs remain heavily involved. Several other clubs are circling. And buried in every scouting report sits the same question nobody can answer yet.
The trade the Yankees never wanted to make
King spent five seasons with the Yankees before leaving in the Juan Soto blockbuster after the 2023 season. Cashman acknowledged at the time that including King was painful.
“We value Michael King a lot. He’s been a very good player for us,” Cashman said after completing the trade.
The Padres demanded King as the centerpiece of any Soto package. His final eight starts for the Yankees in 2023 convinced San Diego he could become an ace. King delivered a 1.88 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 40.1 innings that September.
He validated that belief immediately. In his first full season as a starter in 2024, King posted a 2.95 ERA across 173.2 innings. He struck out 201 batters and finished seventh in NL Cy Young voting. The Yankees watched their former reliever transform into exactly what they need now.
Why the Yankees need him anyway
The Yankees rotation is in crisis. Gerrit Cole underwent Tommy John surgery in March and missed the entire 2025 season. He will not be ready for Opening Day. Carlos Rodon needs elbow surgery that will delay his return. Clarke Schmidt also had Tommy John surgery. The Yankees cannot afford another season of pitching injuries.
That leaves Max Fried as the only proven ace available when spring training begins. The Yankees need arms desperately. King proved he can handle New York before San Diego proved he can handle a starting role. Yankees fans remember his dominant stretch in September 2023.
MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch reported that Cashman has already contacted King’s camp. The Yankees general manager mentioned the pitcher among his early free agency calls ahead of next week’s Winter Meetings.
“Though Cashman mentioned free-agent starter Michael King among the early calls he’s made, the primary focus appears to be in the bullpen,” Hoch wrote.
Detroit makes its move
The Tigers threw their hat into the ring this week. Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press reported that Detroit has genuine interest in King. The club needs a second starter behind Tarik Skubal after Reese Olson missed two months with a shoulder strain.
Detroit typically shops in the bargain bin during free agency. Chasing King represents a departure from that approach. The Tigers may view his injury-shortened season as an opportunity to get a frontline arm at a discount.
The Cubs have been linked to King for weeks. Chicago needs rotation depth after injuries derailed their 2025 postseason hopes. Manager Craig Counsell had only Matthew Boyd and Jameson Taillon available as reliable starters in October.
Multiple suitors could drive the price beyond what the Yankees want to pay. Contract projections range from $60 million to $84 million over three or four years. ESPN’s Jeff Passan predicted a three-year, $75 million deal.
The injury that put cautions across MLB
King looked like a Cy Young contender through his first 10 starts in 2025. He posted a 2.59 ERA with elite strikeout numbers. Then a nerve issue in his throwing shoulder shut him down for nearly three months.
The Padres called it a pinched nerve at first. That diagnosis proved overly optimistic. King later described days where he could barely perform any baseball activity. Other mornings he woke up feeling close to normal. The inconsistency frustrated everyone involved.
He finally returned in early August. That comeback lasted two innings before a left knee issue sent him back to the injured list. The 30-year-old finished with just 15 starts and a 3.44 ERA across 73.1 innings.
His September return raised more concerns. King allowed 10 runs with only 11 strikeouts against seven walks over his final 15.2 innings. San Diego declined to start him in an elimination game during the Wild Card Series. That decision spoke volumes.
The risk every team must weigh
King has missed at least 60 games in three of his past five seasons. His playoff track record remains thin despite his teams reaching October repeatedly. He has pitched just 15 postseason innings across his career.
The shoulder issue that derailed 2025 remains the biggest unknown. San Diego felt confident enough to extend a $22.025 million qualifying offer. King rejected it to pursue a multi-year deal. That decision suggests he believes his arm is sound.
The Yankees face a familiar dilemma. Do they pay for the dominant pitcher from 2024 or worry about the fragile one from 2025? The answer depends on medical evaluations that will determine how aggressively teams bid.
Cashman knows King better than any rival executive. That familiarity could prove decisive. Or the competition from Detroit and Chicago could push the price past what makes sense for a pitcher with recent injury concerns.
The Winter Meetings begin Monday. Expect the conversations to intensify. A Yankees reunion two years in the making hangs in the balance. So does the health of the Yankees rotation for 2026 and their championship hopes.
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