Michael King Fantasy Stats

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King did his part in Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Sunday, allowing just three hits and one earned run while striking out six across five innings of work against the Milwaukee Brewers. King left the game with the Padres holding the lead, but Milwaukee mounted a late comeback to win the game 4-3 and take a 2-0 lead in the series. The 31-year-old was San Diego's top starting pitcher during the regular season, recording a 12-10 record with a 3.21 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 159 strikeouts across 185 innings (32 starts). King has been excellent across two starts so far in the postseason, allowing just four hits and one earned run while recording 14 strikeouts across 12 innings of work. If the Padres can win the next two games of the series against Milwaukee, King could potentially pitch on three days' rest in a theoretical Game 5.

San Diego Padres right-hander Michael King was nearly flawless in the team's 8-0 win on Tuesday over the visiting Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of the Wild-Card Series at Petco Park. King threw seven shutout innings with only one hit allowed, three walks, and eight strikeouts to give the Friars a 1-0 lead in the short three-game series. The 31-year-old veteran did not allow a hit until the seventh inning, when infielder Nico Hoerner beat out a soft-hit ground ball down the line at third base. It was a masterful performance for King, who went 12-10 during the 2026 regular season with a 3.21 ERA (4.13 FIP) and 1.18 WHIP with 159 strikeouts and 70 walks in 185 innings pitched across his 32 starts in his third year in San Diego. If the Padres advance past Chicago in the Wild-Card Series, King's next start would likely come in Game 2 of the National League Division Series in Milwaukee against the Brewers on Sunday. Tuesday's strong performance was a nice bounce-back outing for King after he gave up five earned runs on six hits in four innings in his last regular-season start on Sept. 22 at the division-rival Los Angeles Dodgers.

Across 108 1/3 innings (19 starts) in 2026, San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King has recorded a 6-7 record with a 3.41 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 92 strikeouts. On the surface, King's numbers appear to be right in line with the quality level that he has established in recent seasons. However, the veteran right-hander's strikeout rate continues to decline. After posting a 27.7% strikeout rate in his first year with the Padres in 2024, King's strikeout rate fell to 24.7% in 2025 and is now down to 20.8% in 2026. King's 11.1% K-BB rate is below-average, and both his xERA (4.55) and FIP (4.03) suggest that he's currently outpitching his peripherals. The 31-year-old has also dealt with myriad injury issues in his career and has reached his current innings workload in just one other season. Between his declining strikeout rate and his shaky health track record, King might be a sell-high candidate for fantasy managers ahead of the All-Star break.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King is off to a strong start to the 2026 season, as he's recorded a 3-2 record with a 2.76 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts across 45 2/3 innings (eight starts). With an 11.1% walk rate, King's control remains a bit of a concern. However, the 30-year-old has gotten his ground ball rate back up to 45.8% this season after seeing it drop to a career-low 38.3% in 2025. As a result, King's HR/9 has dropped from 1.47 to 0.79, which is more in line with his career rate of 0.95. King was limited to just 15 starts in 2025 by shoulder and knee injuries, so health remains a potential red flag in his profile. Still, as long as King stays on the mound, he should provide reliable production for fantasy managers in 2026.

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King is a high-risk, high-reward option in 2026 fantasy baseball drafts after re-signing a three-year deal in the offseason. In his first year in San Diego, King showed his upside with a sparkling 2.95 ERA, 3.33 FIP, and 1.19 WHIP to go with a career-high 201 strikeouts in 30 regular-season starts. Last year, though, he was held back by shoulder and knee injuries and was only able to make 15 starts, compiling a 3.44 ERA, 4.42 FIP, and 1.20 WHIP. His strikeout rate slipped a bit as well, and he finished with 76 punchouts in 73 1/3 innings. If he can stay healthy this year, King has the potential to be a fantasy ace, and he opens spring training with no restrictions. Some buzz from spring training suggests that the Padres may adopt a six-man rotation to mitigate their injury issues in the rotation, but this hasn't been officially announced yet. Drafting King for his upside is a good move in almost all formats, as long as you build in some extra depth in case injuries limit him again in 2026.

The San Diego Padres re-signed right-hander Michael King on a three-year, $75 million deal on Thursday night, a source told Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The deal includes a $12 million signing bonus, and then salaries of $5 million next year, a $28 million player option in 2027 ($5 million buyout), and a $30 million player option in 2028 (no buyout). It will either be worth $22 million for one year, $45 million for two seasons, or $75 million for three years. The 26-year-old was excellent in his first year in SD, sporting a 2.95 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with a career-high 201 strikeouts in 30 regular-season starts (173 2/3 frames). However, right-shoulder and knee injuries limited him to just 15 starts in 2025. King demonstrated in 2024 that he has the stuff to be a high-end fantasy starter in a good spot in SD, but that was also his only full season in the big leagues. It makes him a high-risk, high-reward pitching target in fantasy in 2026.

Free-agent right-hander Michael King appears to be the New York Mets' top rotation target this offseason, a source confirmed to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. King recently held a Zoom meeting with the Mets. President of baseball operations David Stearns is hesitant to sign a starting pitcher to a long-term deal of five or more years, according to sources, which could take them out of the market for other top starters this year, such as Framber Valdez, Ranger Suarez, and Tatsuya Imai. The 30-year-old King was excellent in his first year with the San Diego Padres in 2024, posting a 2.95 ERA in 173 2/3 innings, but injuries limited him to only 15 starts in 2025. King doesn't have the same reliable track record as other starters on the market, which is why he may not require a deal of at least five years. One talent evaluator said that King "may be the most talented starter on the market." For fantasy baseball managers, King will be a pretty big risk/reward in 2026.

ESPN's Jeff Passan writes that if not for injuries that limited him to 15 starts in 2025, free-agent right-hander Michael King "might be at the top of the free-agent pitcher's list." King is likelier to land a contract in the range of Nathan Eovaldi's three-year, $75 million deal from last offseason. High- and low-revenue teams are expected to be in on King, who would probably fetch a nine-figure contract if he had stayed healthy this past season. A shoulder injury limited the 30-year-old to 15 starts for the San Diego Padres this year. He went 5-3 with a 3.44 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 76 strikeouts for the Friars in 73 1/3 innings pitched. King was pretty nasty in 2024 in SD, posting a 2.95 ERA with 201 K's in 30 starts, but that has been his only full season as a starter, raising concerns about his durability in both real life and for fantasy purposes.

As expected, San Diego Padres right-hander Michael King declined his side of a $15 million mutual option for the 2026 season on Sunday, according to Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. King will now become a free agent this offseason. The 30-year-old veteran finished the 2024 season as the Padres' most dominant starter, but he was unable to capture that magic in his second year with the team in 2025, mainly due to injuries. He only ended up making 15 starts in the regular season and posted a 3.44 ERA (4.42 FIP), 1.20 WHIP, 76 strikeouts, and 26 walks in 73 1/3 innings pitched. King now seeks a multi-year contract on the open market, and he's unlikely to return to San Diego in 2026. When healthy, he was a strong fantasy asset the last two years in SD, compiling an 18-12 record, 3.10 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 277:89 K:BB in 247 frames over 46 outings (45 starts).

San Diego Padres right-hander Michael King will be available out of the bullpen during the entire wild-card series at Wrigley Field this week against the Chicago Cubs, according to manager Mike Shildt. Right-hander Nick Pivetta will start Game 1 on Tuesday, followed by right-hander Dylan Cease in Game 2 on Wednesday. If necessary, right-hander Yu Darvish will likely get the nod in a deciding Game 3 on Thursday. King only made 15 starts in 2025 after missing the majority of the year, first with a right-shoulder injury and then a knee ailment. The 30-year-old made just five starts after injuring his shoulder in May and wasn't good, recording a 6.11 ERA with 12 strikeouts and nine walks in 17 2/3 innings to close out the year. He finished the year 5-3 with a 3.44 ERA (4.42 FIP) with 76 strikeouts and 26 walks in 73 1/3 innings. If the Padres advance to the National League Division Series, King could rejoin the starting rotation.