King declined his $28 million player option for 2027 on Thursday and is now a free agent, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
King will receive a $5 million buyout instead and will now be on the lookout for a multi-year contract this offseason. The 31-year-old right-hander logged a 3.21 ERA and 1.18 WHIP across 32 regular-season starts for the Padres in 2026, though his strikeout rate dipped to 21 percent. King will be arguably the top free-agent starting pitcher after Tarik Skubal.
King pitched two scoreless innings to earn the save in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Brewers on Tuesday. He allowed one hit with two walks and one strikeout.
After throwing 72 pitches in Game 2 on Sunday in Milwaukee, the right-hander was called upon to get the final six outs Tuesday with closer Mason Miller (paternity) away from the team. King generated just two whiffs on 40 pitches (25 strikes) and put the tying run on base in the ninth inning with a pair of walks, but a double play put a sudden end to the Brewers' rally. King was previously lined up to start a possible Game 5 on Friday and could still factor into San Diego's plans should it stave off elimination again Wednesday.
King didn't factor into the decision in Game 2 of the NLDS versus the Brewers on Sunday. He struck out six, allowing one run on three hits and no walks over five-plus innings.
After carrying a no-hitter into the seventh inning during his wild-card start against the Cubs on Tuesday, King continued that dominance Sunday by retiring the first 14 batters he faced. Christian Yelich broke the seal with a two-out double in the fifth frame, which was followed by two additional singles and Milwaukee's first run. King escaped that inning without further damage but was pulled after a hit-by-pitch to begin the sixth. The right-hander has surrendered just one run on four hits with a 14:3 K:BB across 12 innings through his first two postseason starts. If San Diego can win the next two contests to force a decisive Game 5, King tentatively lines up to start on regular rest.
Padres' Michael King: Flirts with no-hitter in Game 1
Rotowire
King earned the win in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Cubs on Tuesday. He gave up one hit with eight strikeouts and three walks over seven shutout innings.
The right-hander held Chicago without a hit until the seventh inning, when Nico Hoerner reached on an infield single down the third-base line. It was an electric performance from King, who threw 62 of his 97 pitches for strikes while generating 17 whiffs. The 31-year-old surrendered five runs against the Dodgers during his final start of the regular season, but it was still a productive campaign with a 3.21 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 159:70 K:BB across 185 innings. If the Padres can win one of the next two games to push past the Cubs, King likely lines up to start Game 2 of the NLDS in Milwaukee.
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