The Blue Jays need pitching help, and Michael King might be their answer. Toronto’s made some moves this offseason, bringing in Anthony Santander, Jeff Hoffman, and Andres Gimenez, but their rotation could use reinforcement.
The Padres are shopping King, and it’s getting attention. CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa sees Toronto as a natural fit, especially with their current starters – Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, and Jose Berrios – not getting any younger.
“The Blue Jays may lack the trade chips to get a King deal done, but they have to at least call and ask, right?”
King’s coming off a breakout year that’d make any team interested. The 29-year-old put up impressive numbers in 2024:
- 13-9 record with a 2.95 ERA
- 201 strikeouts in 173 2/3 innings
- 4.2 WAR across 30 starts and one relief appearance
That’s the kind of production that could help turn things around for Toronto after thier disappointing 74-88 finish in the AL East basement. While King’s entering his final year before free agency, he’s showing all the signs of an emerging ace.
The way I see it, even as a potential rental, King could be exactly what the Blue Jays need to bounce back into contention. Their rotation’s got experience, but adding King’s arm would give them the kind of boost that could make a real difference in the division.
Now it’s just a matter of whether Toronto can put together an attractive enough package to get San Diego’s attention.
