Michael King

It was not an ideal walk year for King. After posting a sub-3.00 ERA and topping 200 strikeouts in 2024 in his first full major-league season as a starter, King was limited to just 15 starts in 2025, mostly due to a thoracic nerve impingement in his right shoulder. He also dealt with a knee issue late in the year and held a 6.11 ERA and 12:9 K:BB over 17.2 frames covering his final five regular-season starts before being left out of the Padres' postseason rotation. King's velocity down the stretch was fine, and he entered the offseason with a clean bill of health. Given the nature of the shoulder issue, the 30-year-old will head into the 2026 campaign as an injury risk. He elected to bet on himself by returning to the Padres on one-year deal with a pair of player options. Read Past Outlooks