Michael King

Michael King's transition to a full-time starter in San Diego paid off in 2024, but 2025 brought some mild regression and missed time. After logging 173.2 innings with a 2.95 ERA and 27.7% strikeout rate in 2024, he threw just 73.1 innings in 2025 with his strikeout rate dipping to 24.7% and his HR/9 jumping from 0.9 to 1.5. The underlying profile remains solid — a career 27.0% K rate with consistently better-than-average contact suppression — but his 2025 FIP (4.42) suggests he wasn't as sharp when on the mound. The 2026 projections expect a rebound in workload and a return to mid-3.00s ratios, which aligns more closely with his 2024 form than last year's abbreviated campaign. King still misses bats at an above-average clip and limits batting average against (.225 career), but his margin for error narrows when the home run rate spikes. He profiles as a high-end SP3 with SP2 upside if the strikeouts tick back toward the 27-28% range and he pushes past 160 innings again.

Michael King re-signs with Padres on three-year deal

Michael King re-signed with the Padres on a three-year, $75 million deal with two opt outs.

Fantasy Impact

King is scheduled to make $22 million if he opts out after 2026 or $45 million if he opts out after 2027 as part of the contract. It had been thought he would head to a new team in free agency, but he'll instead head back to the Padres as part of a backloaded deal. King was limited to 15 starts this past season due to shoulder and knee issues, but he posted a 3.44 ERA across the starts he made.