Report: Yankees, Red Sox, Orioles finalists for Michael King
Michael King is ready to return to the AL East. The only question now is which division rival wins the bidding.
The New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Baltimore Orioles are the finalists to sign King, a source told Peter Abraham of The Boston Globe. It's unclear how far along negotiations are with any of his suitors, but the right-hander is hoping to choose his next team soon, Abraham reports.
King - one of the top free-agent starters left on the open market - is no stranger to the hyper-competitive AL East, having spent his first five seasons with the Yankees. He originally came up as a reliever before joining New York's rotation late in 2023, a few months prior to being dealt to the San Diego Padres as part of the Juan Soto blockbuster.
King would add even more power to the Yankees' rotation behind Max Fried and a healthy Gerrit Cole. He'd allow Cam Schlittler and Luis Gil to slide down to the back of the staff while pushing Will Warren into a swingman role.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, would be a homecoming for King, who grew up in Rhode Island and starred at Boston College. The possibility of returning to New England is of particular interest to King, sources told MassLive's Chris Cotillo.
Whether that interest is fully mutual remains unclear, though, as the Red Sox currently have a full rotation. Boston's already added one starter this winter in veteran Sonny Gray, and Patrick Sandoval is expected to return after missing 2025 following elbow surgery.
Baltimore continues to be active in its search for starting pitching after its shocking signing of star slugger Pete Alonso on Thursday. King would instantly become the Orioles' ace and upgrade a staff that ranked among the worst in baseball last year.
The Orioles are said to be chasing multiple other free-agent arms, including Tatsuya Imai, Ranger Suárez, and Framber Valdez.
King put up a 3.10 ERA, 3.65 FIP, and 1.19 WHIP with 277 strikeouts, 89 walks, and one shutout during his two seasons in San Diego. He finished seventh in NL Cy Young voting in 2024.
King rejected the Padres' qualifying offer in November, meaning San Diego will receive a compensatory draft pick from whichever team signs him.