The San Diego Padres announced Friday that they avoided arbitration with right-hander Michael King, agreeing to a one-year deal that includes a mutual option and could help ease the team’s payroll crunch.
King’s contract guarantees him $7.75 million, team sources confirmed. It contains a $3 million signing bonus, a $1 million base salary and, for 2026, a $15 million option or a $3.75 million buyout. King can earn up to an additional $250,000 in incentives based on games started.
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The agreement extends the Padres’ streak of never having gone to an arbitration hearing in A.J. Preller’s tenure as general manager. That run appeared to be in jeopardy earlier this month, when King and the Padres did not agree to a 2025 contract prior to the deadline to do so before exchanging salary figures. King filed at $8.8 million. The Padres countered at $7.325 million.
We have reached an agreement with RHP Michael King on a one-year contract for the 2025 season with a mutual option for 2026.
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) January 31, 2025
Now, while the new deal does not significantly impact the Padres’ luxury-tax figure, it defers close to half of King’s compensation to 2026 in the form of the buyout. (Mutual options are rarely exercised.) The team’s estimated 2025 payroll dropped by several million dollars to $206 million, according to FanGraphs.
King, 29, presented a unique case entering his final year of arbitration eligibility. The Padres acquired him from the New York Yankees last offseason as the main piece in the return for star outfielder Juan Soto. A former reliever, King went on to impress in his first full season as a big-league starting pitcher, logging a 2.95 ERA in 173 2/3 innings and finishing 11th among all starters in wins above replacement.
With the Padres still seeking a left fielder and controllable starting pitching amid budget constraints, King remains a potential trade candidate. San Diego has received considerable interest in both King and Dylan Cease, another pending free agent. However, the Padres have maintained high asking prices and would require a significant return to part with either starter.
(Photo: Denis Poroy / Getty Images)
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