Will Michael King reunite with former team after entering free agency?

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / May 9, 2025, 09:00 IST

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Michael King, currently a Padres' pitcher, might become a free agent after 2025. Speculation arises about a potential return to the New York Yankees, his former team. King expresses openness to considering all options, including the Yankees, while focusing on his present performance with the Padres. His impressive stats and Aaron Boone's praise fuel the possibility of a reunion.

Will Michael King reunite with former team after entering free agency? (Image Source: Getty)

The current Padres’ right-hand pitcher, Michael King, might enter free agency if the team does not retain him. However, the main concern here is not whether the Padres will retain the player or not. In fact, the speculation here is whether Michael King will return to his former team, the New York Yankees, after becoming a free agent. Will he? Well, we have the juicy details here.

Possibilities of Michael King returning to the Yankees

King left the New York Yankees after the 2023 season and joined the San Diego Padres for a one-season contract, which has now extended till the end of 2025.

Operation Sindoor

After the 2025 season, chances are that King might enter free agency. But will he join the Yankees after that? When asked about the chances of him joining the Yankees, King replied,"I mean, of course, once you get to free agency, that's what I'll start thinking about..I've got to focus on winning today...hopefully by the end of it I can have all 30 teams calling me."

In fact, the Yankees skipper, Aaron Boone, also praised King on his performance. "He’s ascended to one of the top starters in the game.”

Though the Yankees were not quite willing to send King to the Padres, they did want Soto to join their team. The Padres had the upper hand here, and they made the final call. So, when Michael King departed for the Padres in 2023, Soto and Grisham entered the Yankees. Was it a good trade? Well, seeing how both Grisham and King are performing, it was a good trade for both teams.

Michael King’s performance after joining the Padres

After becoming a Padre, King has shown exceptional performance. Looking into his 2025 performance, King has played in 8 games till now, and has an ERA of 2.22. On top of that, King has only allowed 4 home runs, 30 hits, and 12 runs till now, which takes his average to .186 and WHIP to 0.58, which is outstanding. Moreover, King has 48 strikeouts this season, and he’s just getting started.Currently, King has 8th rank in strikeouts, making him one of the most important player of San Diego Padres. If Padres fails to secure him post 2025 season, the Yankees won’t hesitate in taking him back. Also Read: Popular Hollywood actress Emma Stone spotted cheering for padres’ pitcher after he struck out Aaron Judge

About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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