Yankees Eye Michael King Comeback Amid Intense AL East Free Agent Showdown

Could the New York Yankees be gearing up for a familiar face to make his comeback? Word on the street has it that Michael King, the versatile right-hander, is attracting attention once again from the Bronx Bombers. The Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham recently spilled the beans: the Yankees, alongside the Orioles and Red Sox, are all jostling to land King, though a decision from the pitcher isn’t exactly imminent. It’s a classic chess move in the ever-shifting free-agent landscape, and the Yankees appear ready to re-embrace King’s talents, especially after their previous trade sent him off to the Padres in a deal that brought Juan Soto and Trent Grisham to New York. Manager Aaron Boone isn’t shy about expressing his admiration for King’s arsenal and baseball intellect, which mixes raw skills with a sharp, evolving pitching mind—qualities that make this potential reunion quite intriguing. GM Brian Cashman himself hinted at exploring various options, leaving the door wide open for King’s return to the pinstripes. From his MLB debut with the Yankees in 2019 to his recent seasons as a starter with the Padres, King’s journey is a compelling narrative that could soon take another twist. If you’re craving all the details on this developing story, you’ve gotta check out the original report. LEARN MORE

Are the Yankees considering a Michael King reunion?

The Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham reported this week that New York, the Orioles and Red Sox “are competing for” the free-agent right-hander, whose “decision is not necessarily soon.”

The New York Post’s Greg Joyce added that the Yankees are “open to” reuniting with King, 30, whom they dealt among others to the Padres in their December 2023 trade with San Diego for outfielders Juan Soto and Trent Grisham.

“The thing about Kinger is he’s got obviously great stuff and a great arsenal,” New York manager Aaron Boone said last week at the 2025 MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, Fla., according to Joyce. “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.”

Starting 45 of 46 regular-season games for the Padres from 2024-25, King went 18-12 with a 3.10 ERA and 1.194 WHIP in 247 IP. He battled injuries during his second year in San Diego, limiting him to 73.1 IP over 15 starts.

“We are playing around with a lot of different ideas and seeing if it takes us anywhere,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman told YES Network last week.

King transitioned from reliever to starter at the end of his time in New York, a chapter that spanned five MLB seasons (2019-23). He made his MLB debut Sept. 27, 2019, with the Yankees, who landed him from the Miami Marlins in a November 2017 trade.

The Marlins originally selected King from Boston College with the No. 353 overall pick in the 12th round of the 2016 MLB Draft. The Rochester, N.Y., native played at Warwick (R.I.) Bishop Hendrickson High School before heading to Boston College from 2014-16.