Michael King took the smartest deal.
King’s decision to return to the San Diego Padres on a three-year, $75 million contract wasn’t about locking in long-term security. It was about control. The opt-outs after each of the first two seasons are the point of the deal.
King was one of the better starting pitchers on the free-agent market this December. Not at the very top, but reliable innings, postseason-tested, and still just 30.
It seemed like he could have been headed back to the American League East. The Baltimore Orioles needed pitching and he seemed like a perfect fit. A New England native, he was linked to the Boston Red Sox and he debuted with the New York Yankees and would have been welcomed back.
But by returning to San Diego, he gets familiarity, a role he’s already proven he can handle, and a clear path back to free agency if things go right. If he pitches to form, he’ll be back on the market quickly, with leverage and timing on his side. If he doesn’t, the guaranteed money still protects him.
The Padres get a pitcher they know without taking on long-term risk. The opt-outs give them flexibility and an exit ramp if the roster shifts or payroll pressure tightens again.
Since transitioning from a bullpen weapon into a full-time starter, he’s delivered frontline production. In his first full season with San Diego, King posted a 2.95 ERA with 201 strikeouts over 173 2/3 innings, finishing seventh in NL Cy Young voting. That performance made him valuable, but the market still blinked.
Instead of waiting it out, King made a bet on himself in a place that already believes in him. He didn’t sign to finish his career in San Diego. He signed to set up his next one.
And in this market, that might be the most honest strategy of all.
