Michael King (baseball)

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name = Michael King

|image = Michael King, June 2021.jpg

|width = 250

|caption = King in 2021

|number = 34

|position = Pitcher

|bats = Right

|throws = Right

|team = San Diego Padres

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|5|25}}

|birth_place = Rochester, New York, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate = September 27

|debutyear = 2019

|debutteam = New York Yankees

|statleague = MLB

|statyear = April 25, 2025

|stat1label = Win–loss record

|stat1value = 29–27

|stat2label = Earned run average

|stat2value = 3.13

|stat3label = Strikeouts

|stat3value = 523

|teams =

New York Yankees ({{mlby|2019}}–{{mlby|2023}})
San Diego Padres ({{mlby|2024}}–present)

| awards =

All-MLB Second Team (2024)

}}

Michael McRae King (born May 25, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the New York Yankees. He made his MLB debut in 2019.

Amateur career

King attended Bishop Hendricken High School in Warwick, Rhode Island. He played for the school's baseball team as a pitcher and an outfielder, and helped the team win the Division I state championship in 2012, his junior year. In 2013, he was named the Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year for Rhode Island after pitching to a 7–0 win–loss record and a 0.30 earned run average (ERA) with 67 strikeouts and seven walks in 47 innings pitched. He also had a .469 batting average as an outfielder.{{cite web|url=https://www.providencejournal.com/story/sports/high-school/2013/05/28/20130528-hendricken-s-king-named-ri-gatorade-baseball-player-of-the-year-ece/35423134007/ |title=Hendricken's King named RI Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year |work=Providence Journal |date=May 28, 2013 |access-date=May 14, 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.abc6.com/story/22439909/hendrickens-king-named-player-of-the-year |title=Hendricken's King Named Player of the Year – ABC6 – Providence, RI and New Bedford, MA News, Weather |publisher=ABC6 |date= |access-date=May 14, 2018}}

King graduated from Bishop Hendricken in 2013 and enrolled at Boston College, where he played college baseball for the Boston College Eagles.{{cite web|author=Bill Koch |url=http://www.providencejournal.com/sports/20160508/hopes-high-for-king-other-area-prospects |title=Hopes high for King, other area prospects |work=Providence Journal|date=May 8, 2016 |access-date=May 14, 2018}} In 2015, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Hyannis Harbor Hawks of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web|author= |url=http://pointstreak.com/baseball/player.html?playerid=798804 |title=Michael King - Profile |publisher=pointstreak.com |date= |access-date=September 25, 2019}}

Professional career

=Miami Marlins=

The Miami Marlins selected King in the 12th round, with the 353rd overall selection, of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft. He signed and made his professional debut that season with the Gulf Coast Marlins of the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League before being promoted to the Batavia Muckdogs of the Low–A New York-Penn League and then to the Greensboro Grasshoppers of the Single–A South Atlantic League. In {{frac|30|2|3}} innings pitched between the three teams, he finished the season with a 3–3 record and a 4.11 ERA. He spent the 2017 season with Greensboro, where he went 11–9 with a 3.14 ERA in 26 games (25 starts).{{cite web|url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=650633#/career/R/pitching/2018/ALL|title=Michael King Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball|publisher=MiLB.com|access-date=May 17, 2018}}

=New York Yankees=

On November 20, 2017, the Marlins traded King and international signing bonus money to the New York Yankees in exchange for Caleb Smith and Garrett Cooper.{{cite web|last=Freeman |first=Stone |url=http://cranstononline.com/stories/that-call-it-was-the-ny-yankees,132716 |title=Former Hendricken hurler Michael King traded to the NY Yankees | Cranston Herald |publisher=Cranstononline.com |date= |access-date=May 14, 2018}} He began the 2018 season with the Tampa Tarpons of the High–A Florida State League, and earned midseason promotions to the Trenton Thunder of the Double–A Eastern League and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders of the Triple–A International League.{{cite web|last=Sponseller |first=Alex |url=http://cranstononline.com/stories/alex-mike-king,135720 |title=King delivering in Trenton | Cranston Herald |publisher=Cranstononline.com |date=July 31, 2018 |access-date=November 19, 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/michael-king-delivers-six-perfect-innings-for-scrantonwilkes-barre-railriders/c-292508470 |title=RailRiders' King delivers impeccable effort |publisher=MiLB.com |date=August 29, 2018 |access-date=November 19, 2018}}

File:Michael King (cropped).jpg in 2018|alt=A baseball player in a white uniform, mid-pitch.]]

The Yankees invited King to spring training as a non-roster player in 2019.{{cite web|url=https://www.milb.com/milb/news/new-york-yankees-invite-estevan-florial-to-spring-training-camp/c-303432554 |title=Yankees invite Florial to spring camp |publisher=MiLB.com |date= |access-date=February 3, 2019}} He suffered a stress reaction in his pitching elbow and did not pitch in spring training.{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/yankees/2019/05/yankees-exciting-pitching-prospect-has-injury-setback.html|title=Yankees' exciting pitching prospect has injury setback|first=Brendan Kuty | NJ Advance Media for|last=NJ.com|date=May 6, 2019|website=NJ.com|access-date=April 5, 2021}} The Yankees promoted him to the major leagues on September 19.{{cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2019/09/19/michael-king-called-up-to-take-domingo-germans-spot-on-yankees-roster/|title=Michael King called up to take Domingo German's spot on Yankees roster|author=Mark Fischer|website=New York Post|date=September 19, 2019|access-date=September 19, 2019}} He made his major league debut on September 27 versus the Texas Rangers, pitching two innings in relief.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/yankees-michael-king-hurls-two-innings-in-debut/|title=Yankees' Michael King: Hurls two innings in debut|author=RotoWire Staff|website=CBSSports.com|date=September 27, 2019|access-date=September 28, 2019}} In the shortened 60-game season in 2020, King recorded a 7.76 ERA in {{frac|26|2|3}} innings pitched across nine appearances, including four games started.{{cite web|url=https://www.pinstripealley.com/2020/12/30/22205151/yankees-top-prospects-michael-king-breakout-candidate-2021-season|title=Michael King, the Yankees' most improbable 2021 breakout candidate|first=Andres|last=Chavez|date=December 30, 2020|website=Pinstripe Alley|access-date=April 5, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/yankees/news/new-york-yankees-reliever-michael-king-special-stretch-since-return-injured-list|title=Michael King's 'Special' Stretch Is Glimpse of What's to Come|first=Max|last=Goodman|date=September 24, 2021|website=Sports Illustrated NY Yankees News, Analysis and More}}

Over the course of the 2021 season, King improved his slider with the assistance of Corey Kluber, a teammate.{{cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/yankees/2021/09/yankees-michael-king-is-dominating-and-corey-klubers-special-weapon-is-a-big-reason-why.html |title=Yankees' Michael King is dominating, and Corey Kluber's special weapon is a big reason why |publisher=nj.com |date=September 29, 2021 |accessdate=April 17, 2022}} On June 4, during a game against the Boston Red Sox, King pitched an immaculate inning in the fourth inning, with three strikeouts on only nine pitches; it was the seventh in Yankees history and the first in the history of the Yankees–Red Sox rivalry.{{cite web|last=Goodman |first=Max |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/yankees/news/new-york-yankees-starting-pitcher-michael-king-throws-immaculate-inning-against-boston-red-sox |title=Michael King Throws First Immaculate Inning in History of Yankees-Red Sox Rivalry |publisher=Si.com |date=June 4, 2021 |accessdate=April 17, 2022}} On July 8, King was placed on the injured list with a right middle finger contusion.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/yankees-michael-king-lands-on-injured-list/|title=Yankees' Michael King: Lands on injured list|date=July 8, 2021|website=CBSSports.com}} He was later transferred to the 60-day injured list on July 27.{{cite web|author=RotoWire Staff |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/yankees-michael-king-moves-to-60-day-il/ |title=Yankees' Michael King: Moves to 60-day IL |publisher=Cbssports.com |date= |accessdate=April 17, 2022}} King was activated on September 10.{{cite web|last=Martin |first=Dan |url=https://nypost.com/2021/09/10/yankees-dfa-sal-romano-as-michael-king-returns/ |title=Yankees DFA Sal Romano as Michael King returns |publisher=Nypost.com |date=September 10, 2021 |accessdate=April 17, 2022}} He finished the 2021 season with a 3.55 ERA in {{frac|63|1|3}} innings, recording 62 strikeouts and 24 walks.{{cite web|last=Joyce |first=Greg |url=https://nypost.com/2022/04/15/michael-kings-save-shows-off-his-new-yankees-fearlessness/ |title=Michael King's save shows off his new Yankees fearlessness |publisher=Nypost.com |date=April 15, 2022 |accessdate=April 17, 2022}}

King opened the 2022 season in the Yankees bullpen.{{cite web|last=Goodman |first=Max |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/yankees/news/new-york-yankees-reliever-michael-king-win-opening-day-boston-red-sox-new-uniform-number |title=New York Yankees RP Michael King Shines on Opening Day With New Number - Sports Illustrated NY Yankees News, Analysis and More |publisher=Si.com |date=April 9, 2022 |accessdate=April 17, 2022}} He earned his first major league save on April 14, 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/michael-king-earns-first-save-vs-blue-jays|title=Bases loaded no outs no problem for Yanks' King|first=Bryan|last=Hoch|website=MLB.com|date=April 14, 2022|accessdate=April 16, 2022}} While playing against the Baltimore Orioles on July 22, King left the game with an elbow injury.{{cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/yankees-michael-king-suffers-serious-elbow-injury | title=King feared lost for season with elbow injury | website=MLB.com }} His right elbow was fractured, and he underwent surgery that ruled him out for the rest of the season.{{cite web | url=https://www.nj.com/yankees/2022/07/yankees-michael-king-undergoes-season-ending-elbow-surgery-tommy-john-still-a-possibility.html | title=Yankees' Michael King undergoes season-ending elbow surgery, Tommy John still a possibility | date=July 27, 2022 }}

In spring training in 2023, King suggested to manager Aaron Boone that he could be used as a starting pitcher. He started the season as a reliever, but injuries to Yankees starters led to King becoming a starter in August.{{Cite web|url=https://theathletic.com/4863722/2023/09/14/yankees-michael-king-starter/|title=How Michael King emerging as a 2024 starter could impact the Yankees' offseason plans|first=Chris|last=Kirschner|website=The Athletic}} He had a 2.75 ERA in 49 appearances for the season, with a 1.88 ERA in eight games started. Boone said he expected that King will pitch out of the starting rotation in 2024.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/yankees-expect-michael-king-to-be-in-2024-rotation-following-breakout-season/|title=Yankees expect Michael King to be in 2024 rotation following breakout season|date=October 10, 2023|website=CBSSports.com}}

=San Diego Padres=

On December 6, 2023, the Yankees traded King, Drew Thorpe, Randy Vásquez, Jhony Brito, and Kyle Higashioka to the San Diego Padres for Juan Soto and Trent Grisham.{{Cite web |title=Yankees get Juan Soto in blockbuster trade with Padres |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/juan-soto-yankees-trade |access-date=May 17, 2024 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39060328/sources-yankees-acquire-juan-soto-7-player-trade-padres|title=Yankees acquire Juan Soto in 7-player trade with Padres|first=Alden|last=Gonzalez|work=ESPN.com|date=December 6, 2023|accessdate=December 6, 2023}}

On April 13, 2025, King pitched a complete-game shutout against the Colorado Rockies, the first complete game and the first complete-game shutout of his career. He threw 110 pitches, struck out eight, and allowed two hits and a walk. The game capped a three-game sweep in which the Rockies were held scoreless in all three games. The win also extended the Padres' franchise record of home wins to open a season to 10.{{cite web |last1=Cassavell |first1=AJ |title=King handles all nine in Padres' third straight shutout |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/michael-king-delivers-padres-third-straight-shutout |website=mlb.com |access-date=14 April 2025}}