Padres are watching Michael King closely for one uncomfortable reason

No one is saying the quiet part out loud. At least not yet. There is a whispering concern that Michael King will not be the same version of himself that Padres fans saw in 2024. But soon, if things don't go well at spring training, it can become a panicking screech.

Held down by severe shoulder problems and knee inflammation in 2025, there is no telling how good and consistent King will be this season. In a pleasant shock, the 30-year-old right-hander returned to San Diego on a three-year, $75 million deal that includes opt-outs following each campaign.

But there are still obstacles that King needs to overcome. It's great that he is back, but following his first full season as a starting pitcher, he immediately became injury prone. And when he returned, there were still signs of struggle. In four September starts, one of them was a nightmare, allowing four home runs and eight total runs against the Mets. Another one saw him walk four batters in five innings. In his final appearance, he lasted 2.2 innings.

So the worry around King is still there, making him a player to watch at Padres camp this spring. He is slated for his first spring start on Wednesday, February 25, so can he help alleviate any of those nerves in his first outing with seemingly full health? Padres fans need that before things start to spiral.

Michael King needs to immediately get Padres fans to believe he is back to perfect form

After all, it is spring training. One bad performance should not put a player in a box, but San Diego really needs for King to look strong in some capacity. He doesn't need to go three or four innings. He doesn't need to have a scoreless outing. What he does need is to look sharp and showcase that he is not dealing with any pain in his shoulder or his knee. King needs to prove to fans that he can get outs on different pitches.

This would be an exceptional first step to believing that Michael King is ready to rock in 2026. No setbacks. No pain. No over-reliance on a certain pitch. The Padres need him to be an ace this season, but not just yet. He just has to prove that he is moving in that direction.