"Padres downfall, we are here for it" - Fans react to Michael King's major career decision after two seasons in San Diego

After club skipper Mike Shildt's retirement, another key piece of the Padres is set to depart as starter Michael King has declined his mutual option with the ball club. This effectively makes the 30-year-old a free agent this winter after spending two respectable years in San Diego. During his stint with the Friars, King compuled an 18-12 record with a 3.10 ERA and generated 5.2 fWAR.

Upon hearing the announcement, fans from different fanbases expressed their feelings regarding King's departure from the team. While some made forecasts regarding the pitcher's next destination, others poked fun at the Padres, who had another member of their team leave ahead of next year.

After spending his first five MLB seasons with the Yankees, King was dealt to the Padres in the trade that involved Juan Soto. His best season with the squad came in 2024 when he posted a 13-9 record with a 2.95 ERA that saw him finish in seventh in the NL Cy Young voting. Given his prime age, fans from different fanbases are campaigning for his signing ahead of 2026.

Whichever way Michael King goes, it would be interesting to see which player would the coaching staff select to maintain their dominance on the bump. After all, the Padres finished the 2025 regular season by posting the third-best ERA across the majors with 3.63.

Mike Shildt retires from Padres' management

On October 13, 2025, highly-renowned skipper Mike Shildt announced his retirement from his managerial post with the Padres. Shildt was in charge of the squad for two seasons and was able to maneuver the star-studded squad to two postseason appearances.

In an interview with USA Today, Shildt shared the reasoning behind his sudden departure from the team despite positive results in the previous campaigns.

“Just took a lot out of me," Shildt said. “Just looked in the mirror and knew I didn’t have it in me to do what it takes to lead another 90-plus win season and World Series run," he added.

In his two seasons with the Friars, Shildt was able to compile a 189-141 record. However, the team failed to reach their ultimate aspirations of being World Series champions after exiting the 2024 campaign in the NLDS against the Dodgers and the 2025 postseason in just the Wild Card round against the Cubs.

At the moment, the managerial role in San Diego remains vacant ahead of 2026. All eyes will be on the next skipper, however, as stars like Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Xander Bogaerts are being paid large amounts of money to carry the squad with lofty expectations.

Edited by Daniel Santiago