Padres, Michael King contract grades after agreeing to $75 million deal

The San Diego Padres and starting pitcher Michael King recently agreed to a $75 million contract. The deal includes a signing bonus and multiple opt outs, according to MLB insider Mark Feinsand.

“King’s deal is for three years and $75M, per source. Includes a $12M signing bonus, then salaries of $5M in 2026, $28M player option in 2027 ($5M buyout), and a $30M player option in 2028 (no buyout). So it will either be worth $22M for one year, $45M for two or $75M for three,” Feinsand wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

For the most part, the Padres’ King signing has been praised by the MLB world. However, was this the best move for San Diego? Should King have signed a longer deal?

Let’s take a closer look at the signing and assign grades.

Padres bring back star pitcher

The conversation around the Padres this offseason has centered around the team potentially needing to decrease their payroll. Instead of automatically trading one of their best players and entering a rebuild — like we’ve seen some teams do in the past — the Padres are instead doubling down on their desire to compete. The King signing certainly suggests that San Diego will be keeping most of its stars for the 2026 campaign.

King, 30, has become one of the best pitchers in the sport in recent years. In 2024 — his first season with the Padres — King finished seventh in National League Cy Young voting after pitching to a 2.95 ERA across 31 appearances (30 starts). He had previously pitched for the New York Yankees — where he was primarily used as a reliever. The Padres saw starting potential in King and converted him to a full-time rotation option.

The decision worked better than even San Diego may have imagined.

King was limited to only 15 games pitched in 2025, but he still turned in a respectable 3.44 ERA. The Padres obviously need King to stay healthy, but it is difficult to question their decision to bring him back.

King returns to San Diego

Some may argue that King should have signed a long-term deal at 30 years old. The three-year contract with opt outs is arguably his perfect move coming off a season that saw him limited to 15 starts, however.

If King pitches well early in the contract, he can opt out of the deal and test free agency once again. The player options give him security, though, so he will have the opportunity to make quality money even if he struggles or deals with injury.

One has to imagine King received other offers, but pitching in San Diego should bode well for him. He will be one of the best pitchers in the starting rotation for a ball club with serious postseason aspirations. He could realistically compete for a World Series while pitching with the Padres.

Final grades

The Padres and Michael King’s contract agreement is difficult to argue against. It’s a short-term deal that provides value for both the team and the player.

The Padres will have one of MLB’s best pitchers in their rotation for at least another season, while King will have the option to stay in San Diego or test free agency once again in the following offseasons. The deal is slightly in King’s favor given the player options, but it’s a contract that makes sense for both the player and the team.

Padres grade: A-

Michael King grade: A

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