Padres' Michael King: Left out of wild-card rotation
Rotowire
Padres manager Mike Shildt said Monday that King will be available out of the bullpen for the National League Wild Card Series against the Cubs, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.
Nick Pivetta and Dylan Cease will start Games 1 and 2, respectively, and Yu Darvish is in line to take the ball in a potential Game 3. King was limited to only five starts from late May on due to shoulder and knee problems, and he posted a 6.11 ERA and 12:9 K:BB over 17.2 innings in those outings. The righty could be added back to the rotation if the Padres advance to the NLDS, but he'll be assigned to the bullpen for the wild-card round.
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Padres' Michael King: Abbreviated outing in no-decision
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King did not factor into the decision in Saturday's 5-1 win over the Diamondbacks, allowing one hit and two walks with three strikeouts over 2.2 scoreless innings.
King generated seven whiffs on 49 pitches in his final regular-season outing as the Padres gear up to face the Cubs in the wild-card round. The 30-year-old posted a 5.74 ERA over four starts since returning from the injured list Sept. 9, though much of that damage came in an eight-run blowup against the Mets three turns ago. He'll wrap up an injury-plagued season with a 3.44 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 76:26 K:BB over 73.1 innings, while his role for the postseason remains unsettled.
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Padres' Michael King: Walks four in win
Rotowire
King (5-3) allowed four hits and four walks over five-plus scoreless innings Sunday, striking out four and earning a win over the White Sox.
King worked out of multiple jams through five frames to keep the White Sox off the board. He loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth but was not charged with any runs after Adrian Morejon came in to clean up the mess. King still doesn't look like his usual self, but it was a much better performance than his last outing when he was tagged with eight runs against the Mets. The 30-year-old righty is now sporting a 3.57 ERA with a 73:24 K:BB through 70.2 innings this season. King's final regular-season start is projected to be at home next weekend against the Diamondbacks.
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Padres' Michael King: Sharp in return Tuesday
Rotowire
King took a no-decision Tuesday against the Reds, allowing two runs on three hits and one walk in five innings. He struck out two.
King was limited to 63 pitches in his return from the injured list, though that didn't prevent him from tossing five frames. The right-hander served up multiple home runs for the first time all season, but the three hits allowed tied his second-fewest total of the year. King will be aiming to up his pitch count when he brings a strong 2.87 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 67:20 K:BB across 62.2 frames into his next outing, which is set to be a favorable home matchup against the last-place Rockies this weekend.
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Padres' Michael King: Lined up to start Tuesday
Rotowire
King is expected to be activated from the 15-day injured list to start Tuesday's game against the Reds at Petco Park, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
He would also be lined up for a second start this week Sunday at home versus the Rockies. King has made only one start for the Padres since late May, having missed most of that time due to a shoulder issue and more recently a knee injury. The Padres are aiming for him to make four starts before the end of this month as he gets ramped up for the postseason. King made an unofficial five-inning start at the Padres' spring training complex in Arizona this past Thursday, so he could be capable of covering at least five frames versus the Reds.
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Padres' Michael King: Tracking toward return next week
Rotowire
King (knee) made a five-inning start Thursday in a bridge game in Arizona and appears on track to return from the 15-day injured list next week, Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. "Fielded his position, felt good afterwards and felt good [Friday]," Shildt said of King.
After completing a four-inning simulated game Aug. 29 followed by a bullpen session Monday, King had pushed for a return to the San Diego rotation this weekend in Colorado, but the Padres instead elected to have him make a start in Arizona, where he faced off against an assortment of Complex League prospects. Assuming King checks out fine during his next bullpen session, the Padres could clear him for a return to the rotation as soon as Tuesday's game against the Reds in San Diego.
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Padres' Michael King: Throws three-inning sim game
Rotowire
King (knee) completed a three-inning, 44-pitch simulated game Saturday, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.
King doesn't appear on track to return from the 15-day injured list Tuesday when first eligible, but since he's already started facing live hitters, he won't require much additional time before slotting back into the San Diego rotation. The Padres will likely check back in on King and see how he's feeling coming out of the sim game before deciding if he needs a minor-league rehab start prior to being activated or if he'll be able to rejoin the big club to make a start during next weekend's series in Minnesota.
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Padres' Michael King: Tosses second bullpen Thursday
Rotowire
King (knee) threw bullpen sessions Monday and Thursday, per MLB.com.
King landed on the IL due to left knee inflammation Aug. 14. However, the move was backdated to Aug. 11, so the righty hurler is eligible to be activated this coming Tuesday. The hope has been that King will be able to return to the roster after a minimum-length IL stay, and his ability to throw two bullpens this week suggests that such a scenario remains feasible, though the Padres may opt to give him a few more days to keep the team's other starters on their usual schedule. For the time being, JP Sears is in line to get at least one more start while King remains out of action.
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Padres' Michael King: Aiming for minimum IL stay
Rotowire
King (knee) said Friday that he hopes to return from the 15-day injured list when first eligible Aug. 26, MLB.com reports.
King missed approximately two-and-a-half months due to a pinched nerve in his shoulder before he made his return from the 60-day injured list last weekend. The right-hander covered just two innings in his start against the Red Sox last Saturday before landing back on the shelf Thursday due to left knee inflammation. King said the knee injury was a byproduct of ramping up too quickly while he was rehabbing the shoulder injury, but he doesn't believe that the setback will keep him out for long. Even so, King will likely need to resume throwing off a mound and facing hitters within the next few days to have a realistic chance at returning from the IL before the end of August.
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Padres' Michael King: Set to throw sim game Monday
Rotowire
King (shoulder) will throw a simulated game Monday, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.
King is expected to return in August, Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune reports. The 30-year-old right-hander has been sidelined since May 18 due to a pinched thoracic nerve. King's return will be a big boost to the San Diego rotation. He has a 4-2 record, 2.59 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 64:17 K:BB across 55.2 innings of work and 10 starts this season.
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Padres' Michael King: Completes bullpen session
Rotowire
King (shoulder) threw a 25-pitch bullpen session Thursday, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
King was originally slated to throw a "touch and feel" bullpen session, but the team instead termed it a full session. There hasn't been an exact timeline for his return to San Diego's rotation, but both King and the team have suggested early to mid-August is a realistic target for his activation.
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Padres' Michael King: Expects to pitch again this season
Rotowire
King (shoulder) said Friday that he's "very confident" he'll pitch again this season, Marty Caswell of TheSportingTribune.com reports.
King hasn't pitched in a game since May 18 and landed on the injured list May 25 due to what was initially deemed shoulder inflammation. The issue has since been classified as a pinched nerve, and King explained Friday that his injury is to the long thoracic nerve, adding that injuries to that specific nerve are rarely encountered in baseball. The righty hurler mentioned that he and the Padres are in the "discovery phase" of understanding the injury, adding that he's seen several specialists across the country in an attempt to get answers. King also indicated that the next step in his recovery isn't clear at the moment, though he noted that he feels he's progressing and believes he's going to be able to return to the mound this season. For the time being, King is focusing on strengthening his injured shoulder and is doing only light throwing. Manager Mike Shildt implied Thursday that the team expects King to be out at least through the All-Star break.
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Padres' Michael King: Still not making progress
Rotowire
King (shoulder) remains stalled in his throwing progression, Sammy Levitt of 97.3 The Fan reports.
Per MLB.com, Padres manager Mike Shildt said last week that King was "in a holding pattern" as the club assessed options for his treatment and next steps. Shildt added Friday that "until [King] can pick up a baseball and throw it consistently, there's really no planning." The right-handed hurler has been out of action due to right shoulder inflammation since late May, and he doesn't seem to be close to a return.
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Padres' Michael King: Not making much progress
Rotowire
King (shoulder) is still resting and hasn't yet been able to ramp up his throwing, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.
The team is prescribing rest as the main method of rehab for King, who was placed on the 15-day injured list May 25 due to a pinched nerve in his throwing shoulder. While he reportedly started to play light catch one week ago, manager Mike Shildt noted that the club is still looking into the best way forward for the right-hander. "We're just in a holding pattern to see what it is and the best way to treat it, if there is a better way to treat it outside of just the rest," said Shildt. It would seem that King is still weeks away from a return, though an official timetable has yet to be established.
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Padres' Michael King: Begins playing light catch
Rotowire
King said Sunday that he has begun playing light catch and has shown incremental improvement in his recovery from a right shoulder injury, Dennis Lin of The Athletic reports.
King is dealing with a pinched nerve in his throwing shoulder and suggested that he expects to return from the injured list within weeks rather than months. However, Padres manager Mike Shildt indicated King is in the early stages of recovery, so a clear timeline on the right-hander's return may not be available until he's further along in the rehab process.
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Padres' Michael King: Lands on injured list
Rotowire
The Padres placed King on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to right shoulder inflammation.
The right-hander was scratched from his scheduled start Saturday due to shoulder stiffness, and he'll miss at least two more turns through the rotation due to the injury. King will be eligible to be reinstated June 6, though it's unclear if he'll be ready to return to the big-league mound at that point. Thanks to King's injury, Stephen Kolek should be able to stick in San Diego's rotation a bit longer, even with Yu Darvish (elbow) nearing a return from the IL.
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Padres' Michael King: One out shy of quality start
Rotowire
King allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits and two walks while striking out eight over 5.2 innings in a no-decision versus the Angels on Monday.
King came up an out short of a quality start, and he was also denied the win after Robert Suarez's meltdown in the ninth inning. This was just the third time all year King has given up three runs, and he's yet to give up more than that in any start. He's now at a 2.32 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 56:16 K:BB over 50.1 innings across nine starts. The 29-year-old right-hander continues to be one of the best pitchers in the majors early in the campaign. He'll look to keep things rolling with a home start versus the Mariners this weekend.
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Padres' Michael King: Earns fourth win
Rotowire
King (4-1) earned the win Wednesday over the Giants, allowing one run on three hits and a walk across 5.2 innings. He struck out six.
King blanked the Giants through five innings before Jung Hoo Lee drove in a run with a two-out infield single in the sixth. The 29-year-old King has yet to allow more than three runs in a start this year while holding opponents to two runs or fewer in each of his last four outings. King's ERA now sits at 2.09 on the season with a 1.01 WHIP and 46:12 K:BB across seven starts (38.2 innings). He'll look to keep rolling in his next outing, tentatively scheduled for next week against the Yankees.
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Padres' Michael King: Fires two-hit shutout Sunday
Rotowire
King (3-0) threw a complete-game shutout in Sunday's 6-0 win over Colorado. He allowed two hits and one walk while striking out eight.
The San Diego right-hander absolutely dominated the Rockies to collect his first career complete-game shutout. King threw 110 total pitches and generated a stellar 17 whiffs. The 29-year-old has put himself in the early NL Cy Young conversation with his start, pitching to a 2.42 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 24:8 K:BB across 22.1 innings. King is currently slated to make his next start at Houston this weekend.
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Padres' Michael King: Fans 11 in Tuesday's win
Rotowire
King (1-0) picked up the win Tuesday, allowing two hits and a walk over five scoreless innings in a 7-0 rout of the Guardians. He struck out 11.
The Padres' pitching staff continues to roll, racking up its third shutout in the last four games, and King's performance was maybe the best one yet from the team's rotation. The right-hander generated 18 swinging strikes among his 88 pitches (56 total strikes) and didn't let a runner get past second base. King sports a 14:5 K:BB through his first 7.2 innings of 2025, and he'll look to remain dominant in his next start, which lines up to come on the road early next week against the A's.
