The New York Yankees have had a slow offseason. There is no way to sugarcoat it: New York must get going with free agent signings at some point this winter if it wants to compete in the competitive AL East. Foes like the Blue Jays, Red Sox, and Orioles have already made meaningful moves throughout the early going of MLB’s hot stove season.
One thing the Yankees are thought to need to target is starting pitching. Every team in MLB needs starting pitching help, but New York has the luxury of being able to afford high-profile free agents. On Thursday, the Yankees received bad news on Michael King, as he chose a different route with his free agency decision.
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San Diego Padres Sign Michael King
It is the San Diego Padres who wind up winning the Michael King, as it was announced Thursday night that King has decided to re-sign with the Friars on a three-year, $75 million contract that includes opt-outs after the first two seasons, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
The deal includes a signing bonus of $12 million and a couple of different player options that run into the 2028 season.
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Michael King was considered to be among to top-tier of starting pitcher free agents this offseason, and as he’s now off the board, it will be interesting to see what kind of domino effect this signing has on the rest of the starter market, as it’s been a slow burn to start this offseason.
In 2025 with the Padres, King made just 15 starts but posted a 3.44 ERA over 73.1 innings and struck out 76 batters. He came up with the Yankees in 2019, and that’s the organization that transitioned King into a starter, where he has flourished.
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Yankees Miss Out On Another Big-Time Free Agent
Things are going to start getting loud in New York. This is yet another free agent that the Yankees were linked to, but were unable to get a deal done with.
2024 was King’s breakout season as a starter, as he made 30 starts and struck out 201 batters in 173.2 innings en route to a 2.95 ERA.
It’s unclear where the Yankees will go from here, but Brian Cashman and company will be facing the music soon if no deals are done.
The reason starting pitching is so important for the Yankees is that both Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon are expected to start the 2026 season sidelined, and Clarke Schmidt is still rehabbing from Tommy John Surgery.
New York could also consider a big-time trade for an All-Star starter like Freddy Peralta, Mitch Keller, or MacKenzie Gore.
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