Michael King Padres Return? Michael King said he hopes to remain with the San Diego Padres after a season that ended with a historic postseason performance, though the right-hander stopped short of committing to anything beyond saying he is weighing his options, according to MLB.com.
King is under contract for two more years with a player option attached, a structure that puts the decision in his hands rather than the team’s. He is owed $28 million in 2027 with a $5 million buyout if he opts out, and $30 million in 2028 with no buyout, according to MLB.com.
Michael King Padres Return? The Main Development
Speaking after the Padres’ NLDS exit, King made clear the organization has meant more to him than just a paycheck. “San Diego has been incredible for me, and it’s all the way across the country from home. Now I feel like I have a second home on the West Coast.
It’s been awesome. And I hope to continue it,” King said, according to MLB.com.
When pressed on what he’ll actually do with his player option, King declined to tip his hand. “That’s a future decision. I’m just enjoying the company I’ve got right now,” he said.
What It Means
King’s comments do not amount to a confirmed decision either way. He holds the option, which means San Diego cannot simply retain him through a team decision. The Padres have not publicly stated their stance on retaining King beyond honoring the existing contract terms.
Still, the warmth in King’s remarks suggests the relationship between player and organization is not strained, something that could matter whenever he sits down to weigh opting out against the guaranteed money on the table for 2027 and 2028.
Context: A Signature October Moment
King’s willingness to talk about his future comes right after he authored one of the more unusual pitching performances of this postseason. He started Game 2 of the NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers, then came back on one day of rest to throw the final two innings of Game 3, picking up a six-out save, according to Sports Illustrated.
It was King’s first save since 2023, his first career postseason save and his first save of any kind with the Padres. Since saves became an official statistic in 1969, King is the only pitcher in MLB history to start a postseason game and then record a save spanning at least two innings within the following two days, per Sports Illustrated.
King pushed for the assignment himself. After Game 2, he told pitching coach Ruben Niebla to put him in the bullpen and that he would be ready whenever needed. Manager Craig Stammen described the exchange: “He came in the office today and said, ‘I’m available to pitch. I’m available to pitch the next day, and I’m available to pitch Game 5,'” Stammen said, according to Sports Illustrated.
King framed his mindset around October urgency. “I know that I have bullets in my arm that I don’t want to save. If you’re in an elimination game, you want everybody to be all in on it, and … we have a bunch of dogs down there that are all in,” King said.
Player Background
King, who attended high school in Rhode Island, has built his reputation in San Diego as a pitcher who can handle multiple roles, a trait the Game 3 outing underscored. That versatility, paired with his contract situation, puts him at the center of the Padres’ offseason planning discussions alongside other pending decisions the team faces this winter, according to MLB.com.
What’s Next
No timeline has been set publicly for when King will exercise or decline his player option. The Padres’ broader offseason moves, including how they address pitching depth, are likely to take shape as that decision and others involving the roster play out over the coming months.
Readers can follow the team’s postseason run in the Brewers vs. Padres Game 3 preview and the broader MLB postseason coverage from Total Apex Sports.
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