Sometimes, life hands you a perfect opportunity for a do-over.
The New York Yankees gave up a massive haul in December of 2023 when they traded for superstar Juan Soto from the San Diego Padres. While it would be hard to say the Yankees "regret" the deal because Soto lifted them to a World Series berth last season, they certainly didn't acquire him with the hope he'd only be in town for one year.
Meanwhile, the Padres got right-handed pitcher Michael King, who converted to a starter at the end of 2023 with the Yankees, then excelled in that roll on a full-time basis for the Padres in 2024, posting a 2.95 ERA in 173 2/3 innings.
The Yankees would love to have King right now, as their current rotation contains unproven rookie Will Warren and ancient veteran Carlos Carrasco. But as luck would have it, they may well be able to get him back where he used to belong.
On Thursday, insider Jon Heyman of the New York Post indicated that there was a strong chance the Yankees could reunite with King in free agency when his Padres contract expires at the end of the season.
"The Yankees didn’t want to give up King but understood they had no choice after declining to talk Jasson Domínguez," Heyman wrote. "King was always known as the most prepared pitcher going, and one Yankees person said he was also the most confident young pitcher (with Clarke Schmidt a close second).
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"King, an East Coast guy (he’s from Rhode Island) who lived in Manhattan and whose wife is from Paramus, N.J., is a great candidate to return to the Yankees as a free agent."
King, 30, is off to a great start once again in 2025, with a complete-game shutout, 3-0 record, and 2.24 ERA to his name through four starts. Whether the Yankees are the right fit for him will come down much more to their willingness to offer him the most money than his love of the East Coast.
Technically, King has a $15 million mutual option for next season after making $7.75 million in 2025. But if he keeps pitching like this, he's almost guaranteed to get a nine-figure contract.
Can the Yankees afford a fourth nine-figure starting pitcher? They already have Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, and Carlos Rodón, but there's always a chance they could push the payroll higher, especially if they fail to win it all once more.
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