Padres Star Michael King's Opt-Out Decision is Obvious, Says Insider

King could find the third team of his career this upcoming offseason.

Aug 25, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Michael King (34) delivers during the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The San Diego Padres will be in the market for starting pitching this winter.

The Padres will need more depth in that department, largely because they could lose Michael King in free agency.

King is set to potentially be a free agent this winter, despite signing a three-year, $75 million contract with the Padres last offseason. His contract contains opt-outs after the first and second seasons.

With the first of those three years coming to an end, ESPN's Jeff Passan predicts the right-handed pitcher will opt out this winter.

"The 31-year-old King is the other candidate ... to stand first in line behind [Tarik] Skubal, and it makes sense for him to forgo the final two years and $58 million on his deal — particularly with the $5 million buyout he'd cash in," Passan writes. "Will he opt-out: Yes."

Passan predicts that King will forgo the two-year, $58 million contract he signed for the 2027 and 2028 seasons.

No one would blame King if he opted out.

King is owed $58 million over the remainder of his contract with the Padres, but his performance this season could put him in line to earn even more on the open market.

Michael King Has Delivered Another Strong Season in San Diego

King has been one of the Padres' more consistent and healthy pitchers this season. Outside of 2025, King has pitched in over 165 innings in two of the last three seasons.

In 2026, he's made 30 starts, going 11-9 with a 3.03 ERA and 148 strikeouts over 175 innings of work.

The 31-year-old is currently in his third season in San Diego after spending the first five seasons of his career with the New York Yankees.

King has been stellar since arriving in San Diego via trade from New York.

Overall, across 76 appearances, King is 29-21 with a 3.07 ERA and 425 strikeouts over 422 innings. He's been the de facto ace of the staff in two of the last three years.

The Padres traded for King, Drew Thorpe, Randy Vásquez, Jhony Brito and Kyle Higashioka in exchange for Juan Soto and Trent Grisham in December 2023.

In five seasons with the Yankees, King played well. Across 115 games (just 19 of them starts), King tallied a 3.38 ERA, 282 strikeouts and a 1.91 WHIP in 247.2 innings.

Now as a full-time starter, he's set to cash in yet again.

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