There was some thought that the New York Yankees might get a chance to reunite with Michael King.
King had developed first as a standout reliever in the Bronx, and then he went to the Padres in the Juan Soto trade, and then he became a great starting pitcher.
This offseason, King was one of the top pitchers available in free agency. He had lots of teams interested in him, including the Yankees, the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles.
In the end, though, King isn't going anywhere.
Multiple reports Thursday night indicated that King has re-signed with the Padres on a three-year deal worth $75 million.
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That doesn't really feel like an overpay, so it's a bit surprising that the Yanks or one of their AL East counterparts didn't put themselves in better position to get this done.
It's always possible King simply liked it in San Diego and didn't want to go anywhere.
The other factor is health. King missed a lot of time during the 2025 season.
He's got some of the best raw stuff of any starting pitcher in baseball, though.
There are multiple opt-outs in the King contract, too, so it might end up playing out more like a one-year deal, anyway.
The Padres get to keep their guy, a key move after losing Dylan Cease. And the AL East teams, and the Cubs, who were all after King, they miss out.
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