After a quiet start to MLB Free Agency, the San Diego Padres made noise by locking in Michael King and reshaping their offseason plans. According to MLB Network insider Mark Feinsand, the Padres and King agreed to a three-year, $75 million deal, making partnership official and loud. The Padres wanted certainty and they found it in King. The right-hander returns after most of the Padres roster elected free agency. He also brings options that fit the moment and the market. San Diego moved with intent.
The structure tells the story. King receives a $12 million signing bonus, then $5 million in 2026. He holds a $28 million player option for 2027 with a $5 million buyout. Another player option follows in 2028 at $30 million with no buyout. The range matters. The deal can land at $22 million for one year, $45 million for two, or the full $75 million across three. Flexibility meets upside. Both sides win.
King earned it. Last season, he posted a 3.44 ERA across 73.1 innings with 76 strikeouts. He missed bats and limited damage. That performance carried into meaningful innings and positioned him firmly in October conversations.
What Michael King Means for the Padres
This move signals urgency given what the Padres lost this offseason. San Diego watched Robert Suarez leave in free agency for the Atlanta Braves. Dylan Cease also elected free agency and signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. Sean Reynolds departed for the NPB, joining the Yokohama DeNA BayStars. The pitching depth thinned quickly. The need was clear.
The Padres did not wait. They identified that gap and moved for reliability. Michael King provides rotation stability and late-game toughness. He brings swing-and-miss ability and experience under pressure. He fits a staff built to attack early and close innings cleanly.
For San Diego, this is about direction. It signals intent after key departures during MLB Free Agency. The Padres addressed a need with a defined role in mind.
MLB Free Agency continues. The Padres have added a core arm. The next moves will show how far this roster is ready to go.
