Michael King Signs 3-Year, $75M Deal with Padres

The San Diego Padres are bringing back starting pitcher Michael King on a three-year deal, as first reported by Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

Right-hander Michael King and the San Diego Padres are in agreement on a three-year, $75 million contract, sources tell ESPN. The deal allows King to opt out after the 2026 and 2027 seasons. @Feinsand was first on the news.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 19, 2025

King declined the Qualifying Offer after the 2025 season in order to become a free agent. Interest in his services was not as active as he had hoped, so he will head back to San Diego and take an opt-out–heavy deal with the chance to become a free agent again within the next two years.

The Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, and New York Yankees were reported as the finalists for King’s services early this week, with the Cubs omitted from the list. All three of those AL East teams could use more starting pitching, which, in all fairness, can be said about nearly any team. The Orioles have already been involved in the Edward Cabrera trade market, which directly impacts the Cubs, who have also shown interest in Cabrera.

It became clear at the beginning of the offseason that the Cubs would do their best to acquire a starting pitcher. King felt like one of the best options, with the Cubs showing interest throughout the winter. They will now have to turn their attention elsewhere. The best remaining free-agent arm is likely Tatsuya Imai, who has been linked to the Cubs several times throughout the winter.

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