MLB writer projects Michael King to sign with Padres’ NL West rival

The position group for the Padres that will, without a doubt, be taking the biggest hit ahead of 2026 is starting pitching, as three spots in the rotation are set to open up amid what has transpired over the past month.

To start, Dylan Cease is already on the open market, as 2025 was his last season under contract. It is almost certain that A.J. Preller doesn’t bring him back on a long-term deal, as he is going to command more than $25 million per year.

NL West rival linked to Michael King in projection Padres fans won’t love

The team lost Yu Darvish at the back-end of the rotation after he underwent Tommy John Surgery, which is going to sideline him for a full season.

Michael King entered the offseason on a mutual option but declined it in favor of a long-term contract with more money. With King being cheaper than Cease, it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Padres tried to entertain him with an offer that would keep him around.

I’m sure all Padres fans would want this, as King has proven that he can be an ace alongside Nick Pivetta at the front-end of the rotation. However, Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller doesn’t see it through, and actually has the 30-year-old signing with one of San Diego’s division rivals.

While you can take a sigh of relief that it is not the Dodgers, Miller believes King will sign a three-year, $69 million deal with the San Francisco Giants this offseason.

Not only do the Giants have more financial flexibility in terms of available payroll, but they also have a dire need for starting pitching. Second-year president of baseball operations, Buster Posey, is looking to complement his ace Logan Webb with another front-line starter, and King fits the criteria.

“Our official prediction is three years, $69 million to the Giants, who desperately need starting pitching,” Miller said. “But we could see something like two years, $45 million followed by a conditional four-year, $110 million club option that converts to an $18 million player option if declined.”

If true, this would be a massive gut punch for the Padres, as three of their five starters from 2025 will be either injured or in new threads. Only time will tell if this is truly the case.