Padres' Michael King Taking Major Steps, Wants to Return 'As Soon As Possible'

May 6, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King (34) pitches in the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The San Diego Padres welcomed back veteran Yu Darvish on Monday night, but there is another pitcher trending towards a long-awaited return to the mound.

Although Michael King last pitched in mid-May, compared to Darvish pitching for the first time since October, King is nearing a return from a nerve issue in his right shoulder that has had him on the injured list for about six weeks.

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“I feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel,” King said. “It’s now just a normal build-up. So I feel like I’m almost in spring training all over again and just trying to get be ready as fast possible.”

The complicated injury started when King slept on his shoulder wrong the night before a May 24 scheduled start and was unable to pitch that morning. According toJeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune, King has been trying to get his thoracic nerve to fire at an appropriate level again, searching all over for answers.

“I don’t have to try to make sure that something’s healed properly,” King said. “Everything in there was great going into it. It’s just the nerve shut off. So now that I’m getting the nerve firing again, it’s just that normal build-up and trying to stay safe, but try to push as much as I can, because I want to be back soon as possible.”

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Before King went down with his injury, he was in the midst of getting his ERA to the lowest it had been since the 2022 season where he was only coming out of the bullpen as a member of the New York Yankees.

The 2.59 ERA paired with 64 strikeouts to just 17 walks across 55.2 innings of work totaled an ERA+ of 160, 60 percent higher than league average.

When King is available to return once again, the hope is that he can continue his dominance on the rubber and contribute to a Padres pitching room that has the eighth-lowest ERA in baseball and has been stellar this season.

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