Padres' interesting new Michael King contract lessens trade concerns

The San Diego Padres and right-hander Michael King have settled on a contract for the 2025 season, avoiding salary arbitration. King was the final remaining case for the Padres, and would have been their first case under president of baseball operations A.J. Preller.

King's contract comes with some very unique quirks. Kevin Acee of The San Diego-Union Tribune reports that the 29-year-old right-hander will get a $3 million signing bonus, a $1 million salary, and a $15 million mutual option for 2026 with a substantial buyout.

MLB Trade Rumors contributor Matt Swartz projected his 2025 salary to be $7.9 million for the 2025 season thanks to a successful 2024 season. The two sides had a sizeable difference when they first filed, with King coming in at $8.8 million and the team at $7.325 million. Acee adds that the deal guarantees $7.75 million with incentives that can push it to $8 million.

Acquired in the Juan Soto deal with the New York Yankees before last seaseon, King was one of the more underrated pitchers in the Padres rotation. In 31 appearances (30 starts), spanning 173.2 innings, he pitched to a sterling 2.95 ERA with 27.7% strikeout rate. The former Yankees reliever, who had nine career starts entering the 2024 season, has set himself up to cash in next offseason if he can repeat that performance.

Given the nature of how mutual options go, there's no guarantee that King will be in San Diego beyond this season. Steven Adams of MLB Trade Rumors notes the last time both parties exercised their part of a mutual option was Matt Belisle with the Colorado Rockies in November 2013. The likely scenarios are either King pitches well enough and will hit the free agent market or he'll struggle and the Padres will cut him loose.