For a majority of the offseason, it has been speculated the San Diego Padres would make a blockbuster trade. However, with Opening Day quickly approaching, no such trade has transpired.
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At the end of January, right-hander Michael King emerged as a potential trade candidate until the Padres agreed to a one-year deal with the pitcher, which included a mutual option for 2026.
King’s new contract seemingly quashed the idea of him being trade. Nonetheless, Dayn Perry of CBS Sports believes the right-hander could return to his former team in light of recent issues with the New York Yankees’ starting rotation.
“Old friend alert. The Padres acquired King from these same Yankees as part of the December 2023 Soto blockbuster. King fared remarkably well in his first season as a full-time starter last year. In 173 ⅔ frames, he put up 2.95 ERA/3.33 FIP with 201 strikeouts and earned a seventh-place finish in the NL Cy Young vote. Like Cease, he’s eligible for free agency at the end of the upcoming season. Also like Cease, his availability assumes the Padres are still looking to shed payroll.”
The ambiguity surrounding ace Gerrit Cole’s injury has caused the Yankees to ponder both internal and external options to find a potential replacement. The Yankees could inquire about King, but even the right-hander himself said he would be surprised if he was traded.
“I would be shocked, but I guess anything can happen,” King told 97.3 The Fan. “I didn’t think I was going to be traded over here that offseason last year. I know that the baseball world is crazy so you don’t want to make those plans and the baseball gods are going to tell you something different.”
The Padres and King were headed for arbitration before his new contract, but thankfully the two parties reached a settlement.
“It’s a process that weighs on you a little bit, and I think that both parties are happy with the settlement,” King said. “And now it’s just baseball.”
The uncertainty surrounding Cole could propel the Yankees to inquire about King, who is seemingly secured in the rotation. The Yankees traded King to the Padres last offseason for Juan Soto.
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