The San Diego Padres' season ended in the NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers. Michael King spent much of the series on the mound, and now his contract decision is one of the main questions for San Diego this offseason, according to MLB Trade Rumors.
King started Game 2 and allowed one run over five innings. Two days later, he came out of the bullpen and recorded a two-inning save in Game 3. MLB Trade Rumors reported that he was supposedly available for Game 4 as well.
King has a $28MM player option for 2027. If he opts out, he is owed a $5MM buyout. His contract also includes a $30MM player option for 2028. After Wednesday's loss, he talked about the decision. He called his time in San Diego incredible and pointed out that it is across the country from his home. He said the city now feels like a second home on the West Coast and that he hopes to continue there.
That contract came out of a free agency shaped by health questions after a shortened 2025 season. King turned down the Padres' qualifying offer and later re-signed with the club. MLB Trade Rumors described the deal as a safety net in case injuries returned, with the flexibility to chase a longer contract if he stayed healthy.
He stayed healthy in 2026 and carried the heaviest workload of his career. He set career highs with 32 starts and 185 innings, then added 14 more innings in the playoffs. Injuries and poor performance hurt the rotation, and San Diego leaned heavily on its bullpen. King was the only Padres starter to complete five innings during the playoff run.