The San Diego Padres could see a sixth pitcher in franchise history take home the Cy Young Award in 2025.
Padres star earns 2025 NL Cy Young vote of confidence
MLB Network’s Ryan Dempster recently predicted that Padres star Michael King will take home the top honor for pitchers in the National League at the end of next season (h/t Maren Angus-Coombs of San Diego Padres on SI).
King is a special talent on the hill. In 2024, the 29-year-old boasted a clean 2.95 ERA and 1.192 WHIP while tossing a blistering 201 strikeouts. He was a winning talent, having gone 13-9 with a 4.1 WAR.
The reigning All-MLB Second Team honoree earned that award last season thanks to his 27.7 percent strikeout rate (81st percentile), his 30.3 percent hard-hit percentage (97th percentile), and his 93.3 mph average fastball velocity.
King has the stuff and the efficiency to help will the Padres toward another winning season next time around and make the Cy Young discussion an interesting one. As dominant as he was last season, he has a short list of A-grade talents to overcome if he wants to earn Cy Young honors.
King has stiff competition for 2025 NL Cy Young honors
There were three NL pitchers who got the nod over King on the 2024 All-MLB First Team. They include reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale (Atlanta Braves), reigning NL Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes (Pittsburgh Pirates), and NL Cy Young runner-up Zack Wheeler (Philadelphia Phillies).
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King would likely have to leapfrog six NL talents who earned more wins than him on the previous campaign, including his teammate Dylan Cease. It would also help the New York native’s case if he gets the better of Sale, Wheeler and Chicago Cubs star Shota Imanaga in the ERA department to be looked at above his peers in 2025. The same can be said for the four pitchers he trailed in Ks, being Sale, Wheeler, Cease and St. Louis Cardinals star Sonny Gray.
It would be especially paramount for him to outshine Cease in San Diego through and through next season. Nevertheless, King has the tools to put together a masterful body of work in 2025. The Padres figure to be contenders yet again, so that’ll only add to his case.
