Padres bring back Michael King, who has ‘unfinished business' in San Diego

Since arriving in the now-infamous trade that sent Juan Soto to the New York Yankees, Michael King has been the San Diego Padres’ best starting pitcher. The 30-year-old tested free agency for the first time in his career.

“I think there was a definitely a part of me that just wanted to experience free agency. I think, as a player, you kind of want to play for that right to see your options,” King said. “And it’s very easy to know that this is where I want to be.”

The Padres could not be happier about that. King signed a creative three-year, $75-million contract to return to San Diego (the deal includes opt-outs after the first two seasons). King was being courted by some teams in the Northeast, a tempting proposition for a guy who grew up in Rhode Island and pitched collegiately at Boston College.

He admits geography was a consideration in where to sign, but in the long run, he felt a pull to return to America’s Finest City for reasons outside of baseball. King and his wife, Sheila, started the King of the Hill Foundation to battle Type 1 diabetes in San Diego. They had their first child, Grace, here. And once you get a taste of pitching in front of a packed Petco Park, you don’t want to sample anything else.

“It’s very simple. We have so many roots here, the foundation that we have, the atmosphere playing here is just, it’s second to none. It was very familiar to me and very fun to be a part of,” King said. “I think that we have some unfinished business, and I want to be a part of a championship team. That was the number one pillar that I set of teams I wanted to go to.”

King has experienced playoff baseball in America’s Finest City. He started Game 1 of the 2024 NL Wild Card Series sweep of the Atlanta Braves. The Friar Faithful are absolutely another reason he came back.

“Feeling the playoff atmosphere and pressure in San Diego was something I want to feel every year for the rest of my career,” King said. “The World Series is definitely the first thing on my mind, and I know that when I prioritize winning games and making my teammates better, everything will fall in place for me.”

King adds Cy Young-caliber stuff to a rotation that was in dire need of an impact arm. He joins Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove, and Randy Vasquez to make up a formidable rotation quartet that President of Baseball Operations A.J. Preller is still looking to add a few more pieces to.