A potential reunion with Michael King is on the Yankees’ radar, and doing so might serve a double whammy as they look to fortify their rotation.
The Red Sox and Orioles are also competing for King, The Boston Globe reported, meaning the teams that don’t land the free agent right-hander could have to face him in the AL East for years to come.
King began his return to starting with the Yankees late in the 2023 season before they included him as the headliner in the Juan Soto blockbuster with the Padres.
In two years since then, he posted a 3.10 ERA with 277 strikeouts in 247 innings across 46 games (45 starts), and while his 2025 season was limited by a nerve injury in his right shoulder, he turned down the qualifying offer to hit the open market this offseason.
“Stud, not surprising [what he did with the Padres],” manager Aaron Boone said last week at the winter meetings. “The thing about Kinger is he’s got obviously great stuff and a great arsenal. He’s really smart and has a real good understanding of that stuff. It’s allowed him to evolve as a pitcher, coupled with his confidence.
“That’s a powerful thing when you got stuff, the ability to learn and understand what you’re doing, and then the confidence to go do it. So I’m not surprised he went to that level. Obviously had some injuries this past year that slowed him a little bit, but he’s really good when he’s out there.”
Whether the Yankees would have the financial appetite to add both King and Cody Bellinger, their top offseason priority, remains to be seen. It is possible that their interest in King would be part of a Plan B if they are unable to land Bellinger, à la their pivot after missing out on Soto last winter.
The Yankees, who are also among the expected suitors for Japanese right-hander Tatsuya Imai, have publicly indicated that adding a starting pitcher is not a must at the moment — perhaps that is just for leverage — after re-signing veteran swingman Ryan Yarbrough earlier this offseason. But they are in a bit of a tricky spot with their rotation.
They already know they will start the year with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt on the injured list. The Yankees hope to have Rodón back by late April or early May, Cole by May or June and Schmidt potentially in the second half as each rehabs after their respective surgeries.
That means their current projected rotation to open the season would be Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Luis Gil, Will Warren and Yarbrough. But that also assumes that each of those pitchers gets through spring training without any issues, which is far from a guarantee, especially with Fried, Schlittler and Warren each coming off career-high workloads.
And yet, they also have to make sure they stay flexible enough to open spots for Rodón and Cole in the shorter term, while also not being able to fully bank on their returns.
“I’d love to add a starter regardless [of Fried, Warren and Schlittler coming off heavy workloads],” GM Brian Cashman said last week. “The more, the better. If we can find some inventory to add to our crew — but at the same time, knowing that our crew is going to be there when they’re all healthy, so it’s got to be something that provides some flexibility — which could also include, worst-case scenario if everyone stayed healthy, which is never the case, then you can push somebody into the pen if you have to.”
King, a Rhode Island native who went to Boston College, is believed to prefer a return to the East Coast after spending the last two years in San Diego. He was well-liked in the Yankees’ clubhouse during his time in The Bronx, which spanned from being a high-leverage, multi-inning reliever to transitioning back to a starting role.
And while that development helped in the Yankees being able to land Soto, it could also eventually come back to be a thorn in their side if King lands with an AL East foe.
“Bringing in a Yarbrough gives us that protection where, hopefully, maybe he’s part of the rotation some but then collapses into the bullpen,” Boone said. “You never have enough [pitching], but I do feel like we have some really talented options in that four, five, six, seven, eight as we get a little bit healthier.
“If we can add another starter along the way, obviously that would be great. But I feel like right now, we’re in a pretty good spot.”
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