Bryan Hoch of MLB.com wrote a column a week ago that the Yankees have numerous people inside the organization who would be happy to reunite with RHP Michael King.
It was officially announced on Sunday that the right-hander would decline his end of the mutual option for 2026, allowing him to hit unrestricted free agency.
The decision of whether he’ll receive a Qualifying Offer or not has yet to be seen, which would almost certainly affect the Yankees’ interest in his services.
In the world where he doesn’t receive the QO, the Yankees could be a logical fit for King, but for what price would he make sense and are there better avenues for the team to acquire an impact starter?
Is Michael King the Right Pitcher for the Yankees’ Rotation?
This past season wasn’t the one that Michael King wanted entering his walk year, as the right-hander had a 4.42 FIP and allowed 1.47 HR/9 in 2025.
His 3.44 ERA was good, but the decrease in whiffs and strikeouts combined with an increase in damage contact allowed will decrease the salary that he would have gotten if he repeated his 2024 campaign.
King’s pre-injury numbers were excellent, but after he came off the IL in August, the right-hander would make five starts with a 98 Location+ and 8.06 FIP.
If the Yankees believe the injury he suffered midseason was a short-term setback and that a fully healthy version of the right-hander is still a frontline guy, then there’s tons of upside in signing him.
Spotrac projects him to get ~$23 million a year for four seasons on the free agent market, but perhaps he could get a two-year deal with a higher AAV that could allow him to hit the market again after 2026.
There’s precedent in that contract structure, especially over the last few seasons, and putting him in a rotation with Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Gerrit Cole, and Cam Schlittler could be devastating.
Over the last three seasons, Michael King has produced a 2.92 ERA and 27.4% K% as a starting pitcher, the kinds of marks that match up with some of the best starters in the league.
The idea of having one of those five starters as a fifth starter is unbelievable, and if the team were to lose a starter to injury for the postseason, they’d still have one of the top staffs in the game.
Furthermore, it would make Luis Gil and Will Warren more expendable in trade conversations, giving New York more flexibility with how they address other needs on the roster.
Both pitchers could also fit well in a bullpen role, and in the case of Will Warren specifically, he could serve to benefit from being on the same roster as Michael King.
The Dodgers had more than five MLB-caliber starters knowing that injuries would cause some of those talented arms to miss the postseason, and the Yankees should try to improve their rotation similarly.
In order to be fair, a case against this would be to have the Yankees trade for a starter who makes less money towards the Luxury Tax such as Sandy Alcantara or Freddy Peralta.
With over $70 million committed to Carlos Rodon, Max Fried, and Gerrit Cole for 2026, the Yankees might not want that number to exceed $100 million for four starters.
There are other variables to consider; a Qualifying Offer should end all interest in a reunion with Michael King, but if the price is right, he could be a steal on this market who makes the Yankees’ rotation utterly elite.
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