It hasn't been an ideal year for San Diego Padres right-hander Michael King. Throughout King's career, he's been excellent, mainly since he was traded from the New York Yankees to the Padres in a deal involving Juan Soto.
King became a full-time starter later in his career, but has been dominant in that role. Throughout the 2024-25 campaign, despite only pitching in 57.2 innings in 11 appearances, he still owns a 2.81 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. His strikeout numbers are above average again, with 65 in 57.2 innings.
According to Andy McCullough of The Athletic, however, these injuries could impact what King's future deal looks like.
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He noted that he would've been looking at a nine-figure deal if King hadn't gotten injured. He'll have to show over the next few months that he's still the type of arm he once was to secure that deal.
"King logged just two innings in his return to the mound on Saturday after a three-month absence caused by a shoulder injury. The Padres will need more from him down the stretch as the team tries to run down the Dodgers. And King needs to showcase his ability to impress the clubs considering him this winter. Before he landed on the injured list, he looked like he might receive a nine-figure payday. That threshold is still within reach — if he can recapture his form in the season's final two months, not to mention October," he wrote.
Barring anything drastic happening to King, he should still get paid handsomely.
In recent years, players dealing with injuries have faced instances where they haven't received the deals they're looking for, forcing them to accept short-term deals.
That could help the Padres if they're willing to pay a lower price. However, that would only likely be for a year or two as he regains his value.