The San Diego Padres are reportedly considering trade proposals for breakout starting pitcher Michael King. King was great down the stretch last year, but he’ll be eligible for free agency after the 2025 season, and the Padres are unlikely to be able to pay the money required to re-sign him. Zachary Rymer of Bleacher Report recently predicted that the Boston Red Sox would be one of the top 10 clubs interested in King this winter.
“The Red Sox have already acquired two starters, Crochet and Buehler, both of whom have ace potential. However, they may still be willing to add an arm, as they were famously linked to Dylan Cease in December,” Rymer stated. “The Cease connection came out before the Crochet trade, however. And, while Boston has a lot of surplus hitting talent, the best way to use it is to trade for a young, controllable impact pitcher. “King is neither.”
While Rymer suggests that the Red Sox target a young and controllable pitcher, King, despite not meeting these criteria, might still make a lot of sense. First and foremost, the righty is incredibly skilled. He established himself as one of the game’s best right-handed pitchers late last season. Fitting King into the Red Sox’s rotation next to Garrett Crochet would be straightforward.
Boston also has the funds to re-sign him when he enters free agency. When King hits free agency, Spotrac estimates that he will be worth $71 million over four years, a figure that the Red Sox could easily match.
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