Projecting What a Michael King Contract Could Look Like From Mets

How far are the Mets willing to spend on Michael King this offseason?

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King walks off the field during the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Petco Park. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If the New York Mets want to climb back into postseason contention in 2027, bolstering their starting pitching will likely be their top priority.

For the second straight season, the Mets' starting rotation disappointed, leading them to trade Freddy Peralta to the Tampa Bay Rays, whom they acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers to be their ace, and to deal Clay Holmes to the Chicago Cubs at the deadline, who are now free agents.

Despite Nolan McLean cementing himself as the club's ace and having two young, exciting starting pitchers in Christian Scott and Zac Thornton, New York is expected to be in the market for a starting pitcher or two this offseason. One name that has continued to circulate around the Mets has been Michael King.

For the first time in his career, King is a free agent after opting out of the final two years of his three-year, $75 million contract he signed with the San Diego Padres last offseason. If the Amazins were to pursue the right-hander this offseason, what would that contract look like?

Why the Mets should go all-in to sign King to a $150 million contract

New York Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns speaks to members of the media prior to the game against the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

According to Spotrac, King is projected to sign a five-year, $150 million deal in free agency. That is definitely in the Mets' range and should really be a no-brainer.

The 31-year-old is coming off a career year for San Diego. In 32 regular-season starts, King logged a 12-10 record with a 3.21 ERA, 159 strikeouts, and a 1.18 WHIP in a career-high 185 innings.

He also held opponents to a .221 batting average (tied for second-lowest in his career). Left-handed hitters didn't have much success against King, posting a .219 average and a .635 OPS. He'd fit right in with the Mets' pitching staff, ranking 12th in the majors against left-handed sluggers with a .242 OBA.

When it is all said and done, King opting out of his contract may pay off.

It goes without saying that the Mets need a veteran and frontline starter to put atop their rotation. New York starter's last season averaged just 4.88 innings per start, ranking 28th in Major League Baseball.

While King won't single-handedly alter the Mets' rotation if he's on the roster in 2027, he still averaged 5.84 innings per start for the Padres last season and went 22 of his 32 outings with six or more innings. So why not Michael King on the Mets in 2027?

While Tarik Skubal remains the top target for teams across the league this winter, King is just as dominant and could be a major boost for any rotation that needs starting pitching help.

As already alluded to, the Mets have three exciting starters in McLean, Scott, and Thornton to look forward to next season, but the rest of their rotation remains a huge mystery. Signing King to a contract worth $150 million for five years could be a gamble worth taking.

Get Mets On SI straight to your inbox: sign up for our free newsletter here.