RHP King agrees to deal with Padres, avoiding arbitration
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Right-hander Michael King agreed on a one-year contract with the Padres on Friday, avoiding arbitration. The deal possesses a mutual option for 2026.
King's contract guarantees him $7.75 million, a source told MLB.com's Mark Feinsand. King receives $1 million in salary, with a $3 million signing bonus; the mutual option is worth $15 million and has a $3.75 million buyout, which could become $4 million depending on whether King hits incentives in games started.
King, 29, who was acquired before the 2024 season from the Yankees in the deal that sent Juan Soto to the Bronx, had a career year for San Diego, going 13-9 with a 2.94 ERA in 31 games (30 starts). King struck out 201 batters and walked just 63 in 173 2/3 innings, a performance that earned him downballot votes for the National League Cy Young Award.
Mutual options, which require both the player and team to opt in, are seldom executed. The most recent example of both sides opting in was when third baseman Aramis Ramirez's mutual option with the Brewers was executed in advance of the 2015 season.
By settling with King, the Padres kept their streak alive: They¡¯ve yet to go to arbitration with a player in the 10-plus-year tenure of general manager A.J. Preller. The last time any Padre went to arbitration was Andrew Cashner in 2014.