Where Michael King slots in the Padres rotation after his return

Well, after much discussion and more than a few anxiety-fueled meltdowns, the San Diego Padres have finally made an impact addition to their rotation, reuniting with Michael King on a three-year, $75 million deal.

There are some wonky contract details that could lead to this being a one-year deal (he has opt outs after both 2026 and 2027), but the important thing is that King is back. No longer will Nick Pivetta need to shoulder an impossibly large burden at the top of the starting five.

With that said, let's examine how exactly Craig Stammen's starting rotation breaks down with the team's ace back in tow.

Breaking down Padres' rotation after re-signing Michael King

Co-aces: Nick Pivetta and Michael King

Pivetta (2.87 ERA in 181 2/3 innings in 2025) won't be displaced by this move; instead, he now has a partner in crime to work with.

King (3.44 ERA in 73 1/3 innings) wasn't at his best this past season, but he was wholly dominant in his first full year as a starter in 2024. Barring another injury, he'll take the bump as the team's No. 1 or No. 2 starter.

In terms of order, it's hard to imagine Craig Stammen giving anyone the Opening Day nod besides Pivetta, but then again, King got that job over Dylan Cease in 2025. (Fun fact: Cease never started on Opening Day for the Padres.)

Either way, these two are your frontline tandem in 2026, and a lot of the Padres' playoff hopes will rest on their ability to stay healthy and produce... assuming a trade doesn't shake up things further.

No. 3 starter: Joe Musgrove

Musgrove is the true X-factor in the rotation. He'll immediately step into the middle of the rotation following a year-long layoff after Tommy John surgery, though expectations must be tempered for the 33-year-old.

From 2021-23, Musgrove emerged as a bona fide ace, authoring a 3.05 ERA, 3.62 FIP, 25.6% strikeout rate, and 6.2% walk rate while averaging more than 150 innings per season.

However, he hasn't pitched more than 100 innings in a campaign since 2022, and he just missed all of 2025. If he can rediscover his old form, he'd give the Friars one of the most fearsome triumvirates in any rotation in baseball.

If not, the team will simply hope he can eat innings without suffering another injury.

Back-end of the rotation: Randy Vásquez and JP Sears

There's not much to speak of here. Vásquez (3.84 ERA in 133 2/3 inning) and Sears (5.04 ERA in 135 2/3 innings) are far-better suited for roles as back-end starters rather than mid-rotation ones, which is why re-signing King was so important.

It would be huge if either starter breaks out, but in their current roles, simply soaking up innings while maning mid-four ERAs would suffice. That's especially true if the bullpen can hold up their end of the bargain and dominate the late innings.

In terms of depth, Kyle Hart is probably the first man up, though he'll likely occupy a role as a long-reliever in the bullpen until a need arises. Miguel Mendez stands out as an intriguing upside option, though he'll need to sustain his success in the higher levels of the minors first.