The Phillies aren’t done dealing. After landing Jesús Luzardo from Miami, they’re eyeing another potential blockbuster – this time with the Padres.
San Diego’s Michael King has caught Philadelphia’s attention, and it’s easy to see why. The 29-year-old broke out as a starter last season, posting a 2.95 ERA and finishing seventh in NL Cy Young voting. He’s entering his final year before free agency, making him an intriguing trade target as the Padres look to shed payroll amid ownership uncertainty.
Troy Brock of Sports Illustrated floated an interesting proposal: sending prospects Mick Abel, Devin Saltiban, and Robert Moore to San Diego for King. But here’s where things get complicated.
Brock suggests using King as a reliever, strengthening an already solid bullpen with Alvarado, Strahm, and Kerkering. That’s probably not going to fly. King’s just established himself as a top-tier starter – asking him to move to the pen right before free agency doesn’t make much sense for his career trajectory.
There’s a better path forward. The Phillies could slot King into their rotation and possibly move Ranger Suárez for prospects. That’d give them flexibility to work out an extension with King, who’s projected by Spotrac to command around $71 million on his next deal.
The Phillies already have one of MLB’s strongest rotations after the Luzardo trade. But in today’s game, you can never have too much pitching. King would give them another high-end arm with room to grow – if they can make the pieces fit.
