Michael King opens up on reasons behind his return to Padres on 3-year, $75M deal

Veteran starting pitcher Michael King ended speculation around his MLB future after signing a three-year, $75 million deal with the San Diego Padres this week.

King, who attracted interest from his former team, the New York Yankees, returned to the Padres, the team he played for over the last two seasons after being traded by the Bronx Bombers in December 2023.

The veteran pitcher, who started his career by pitching in relief, has transformed himself into a full-time starter over his last two seasons with the NL West team. King said the "pressure" and "atmosphere" of San Diego influenced his decision to return to the Padres.

“We have some unfinished business,” King said. “I want to be a part of a championship team. And that was the No. 1 pillar that I set [in] teams that I wanted to go to. It needs to be a team that is going to win. “Feeling the playoff atmosphere and pressure in San Diego was something I want to feel every year for the rest of my career."

King arrived in San Diego as part of the trade deal that sent Juan Soto to the Yankees ahead of the 2024 season. The former Yankees pitcher has posted a 3.10 ERA in 46 appearances since joining the team.

Padres ace Michael King acknowledged frustation over injury-riddled 2025 season

Michael King was restricted to just 15 starts during the 2025 season as he missed almost four months of baseball due to a shoulder and knee injury. King expressed his frustration over letting the team down because of injuries.

“Obviously, injuries stink,” King said. “I was not happy with my lack of innings. They trusted me to be the Opening Day starter. Opening Day starters go 200 innings. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to do that. Unfortunately, we were bounced in the first round of the playoffs. I think that plays a lot into the competitive nature in me.”

The Padres lost Dylan Cease to the Toronto Blue Jays in free agency, making Michael King's return a crucial signing for the Padres this offseason. King is expected to share the workload with Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove, Randy Vásquez and JP Sears in the Padres rotation.

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash