Welcome again to the 2025-26 version of Smash or Pass, by which we look at potential free agent and commerce targets to find out whether or not the Crimson Sox ought to pursue them and what it could take to land them. Right this moment we have a look at one other rotation-lengthening choice, this oen with hometown roots.
As my colleague Mike Carlucci said earlier this week, the Crimson Sox want beginning pitching. With the beginning market offering some excessive potential however no true dwelling runs, I’m personally of the assumption that Boston ought to attempt to discover a No. 3 within the free agent market and conduct a commerce to usher in a real No. 2 behind Garrett Crochet (I’ll pray each evening this offseason that Joe Ryan or Hunter Greene by some means make their solution to Boston). With this in thoughts, I believe it’s greatest to deal with the middle-of-the-pack free brokers. Particularly, the Michael Kings and Ranger Suarezes and Zac Gallensof the world take advantage of sense. So with that in thoughts, let’s take a deeper have a look at King and what he has to supply for a staff on the lookout for some extra consistency from its rotation.
Who’s he and the place does he come from?
Michael King is just like the Nick Pivetta of Dallas Keuchels. He’s very related within the scope of this free company class as Pivetta was final offseason. After all, everyone knows I used to be all aboard the re-sign Nick Pivetta practice final 12 months, and I believe King presents related prospects this 12 months, however with a greater resume than Pivetta dropped at the desk.
Additionally, he went to Boston Faculty! Wouldn’t it’s enjoyable for announcers to say that an precise Crimson Sox participant performed at school in Boston and never simply individuals on the opposite staff? (I’m taking a look at you, Sal Frelick and Cam Schlittler). It’d be like Adam Ottavino coming dwelling another time. King turns 31 a few months into the 2026 season, and whereas he’s on the improper aspect of 30, I don’t essentially see that as a draw back contemplating he’s simply on the cusp. A significant concern, extra so than his age, although, is his damage historical past. King spent half of final season on the Padres’ IL first as a result of a nerve impingement in his proper shoulder (ouch) and later due to knee irritation.
After getting his begin with the Yankees, King made his solution to San Diego within the Juan Soto deal and had a very good stretch from 2022 to 2024, earlier than coping with accidents final season (although he was additionally stable in 2025). In 2022, he pitched solely out of the bullpen, however completed with a really stable 2.29 ERA (2.23 FIP) and a clear 1.000 WHIP to go together with a powerful 11.6 SO/9. He transitioned to a beginning function in late 2023, and throughout 2023 and 2024 recorded a 2.85 ERA with a nonetheless stable 10.65 SO/9. To justify my earlier Dallas Keuchel comparability, King’s sinker had a 30% Okay fee final season and accounted for 29 of his 76 strikeouts. However, he doesn’t depend on it as egregiously as Keuchel as soon as did, deploying it 30% of the time, which is comparatively similar to his 24% utilization of his four-seamer and 21% utilization of his changeup. It performs properly along with his changeup and sweeper, which accounted for 19 and 14 strikeouts final 12 months, respectively, and provides him a singular profile in immediately’s recreation through the use of a sinker as his main fastball at solely 93 mph.
TL;DR: simply give me his 2025 stats
BBs: 26 (there’s nothing I really like greater than a very good Okay/BB ratio!)
Why would he be a very good match on the Crimson Sox?
He could be a stable choice in the midst of the rotation, and his capacity to restrict site visitors on the basepaths could be a breath of recent air after a 12 months of watching Walker Buehler, Lucas Giolito, Dustin Could, and so on., faux like they had been in a who-can-allow-more-runners-to-reach-base competitors.
Why wouldn’t he be a very good match on the Crimson Sox?
His damage historical past (although not as extreme because it may very well be) is worrying, particularly contemplating the longevity problems with Crimson Sox pitchers within the latest previous. However the good factor is that he’s confirmed he’s in a position to bounce again comparatively effectively after lacking time for an damage. That is way more regarding if he’s signed with the intent of being a No. 2 (which mustn’t occur, like in any respect) than a No. 3, and I personally assume he’s well worth the comparatively small danger.
What wouldn’t it take to get him?
His contract projections have spanned a fairly large vary so far, however I believe something from three to 4 years with an AAV round $20-25 million is a good provide that the Crimson Sox ought to positively take into account as a deal with the center of the rotation as they let some younger guys determine issues out and look ahead to Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford do regardless of the hell they’re imagined to do.
In 2024, he turned the primary pitcher to ever strike out 12 batters and permit no runs or walks in his first postseason begin, in order that was fairly cool!
This might be a smash for me, although I’d solely be snug with it if a commerce of some kind had been to be made to accumulate a No. 2 starter, fairly than let that relaxation on King’s shoulders, particularly contemplating his aforementioned damage historical past (did you get my joke in there… as a result of he was on the IL final 12 months with a shoulder damage… okay I’ll cease now). In the end, a contract of three years, $60-75 million could be greater than price it, in my view, and I believe his strategy to pitching could be a breath of recent air from all of the chaos we had been subjected to observe final 12 months.
