The Yankees traded King, Drew Thorpe, Randy Vasquez, Jhony Brito and Kyle Higashioka to San Diego on Wednesday in exchange for Juan Soto and Trent Grisham, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
King has put together two consecutive great seasons, logging a 2.60 ERA and 1.10 WHIP across 155.2 innings since 2022. He's been used most often as a reliever throughout his career, though he was stretched out into a starting role during the second half of last year. Given the Padres' glaring need for rotation arms, it's likely King retains a starting job in 2024.
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Yankees' Michael King: Gives up four runs in loss
Rotowire
King (4-8) took the loss Sunday, allowing four runs on eight hits over four innings in a 5-2 loss against Kansas City. He struck out one.
King had a rough game to end the season, as he had not allowed more than one earned run in his last seven starts dating back to Aug. 24. Solo home runs by Edward Olivares and Dairon Blanco in the fourth inning chased him from the outing after 71 pitches. The right-hander wrapped up the campaign with a 2.75 ERA and 1.15 WHIP with 127 strikeouts across 104.2 innings, working both as a starter and reliever. His success switching between either role may afford the team flexibility with his position ahead of 2024.
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Yankees' Michael King: Fans five in no-decision
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King did not factor into the decision Tuesday, allowing one hit and five walks over six scoreless innings against the Blue Jays. He struck out five.
Tuesday was King's seventh straight start dating back to Aug. 24 after he began the season in the bullpen. He hasn't allowed more than one run in any of those outings while posting a 1.04 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 47:9 K:BB across 34.1 innings. However, King has thrown 100.2 innings this year, far exceeding his previous high of 63.1 in 2021, so there's a possibility he could be shut down. If he does make another start, it's slated for the last Yankees game of the season on the road against the Royals on Sunday.
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Yankees' Michael King: Possible waiver wire pickups
Rotowire
This Michael King pickup has been a long time coming. Considered by many to be the Yankees' top reliever the past two years, the right-hander began his transition to the starting rotation in late August, and it was going well enough. His performance was holding steady. He wasn't losing velocity the way so many relievers do when stretched over multiple innings. The only issue was that his outings were short, his transition progressing too gradually for him to be of much use in Fantasy. When the restrains finally came off in his last start Wednesday against the Blue Jays, the results were nothing short of astounding: seven innings, one run, no walks, 13 strikeouts. And wouldn't you know he lines up for two starts right away? With a 1.40 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 13.7 K/9 in his past five starts and two pitches (sweeper and changeup) capable of generating whiffs at better than a 40 percent rate, King is peaking at just the right time.
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Yankees' Michael King: Racks up career-best 13 punchouts
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King (4-7) took the loss against Toronto on Wednesday, allowing one run on five hits and no walks while striking out 13 batters over seven innings.
Though he was tagged with the loss due to a stagnant New York offense, King pitched arguably his best game as a major leaguer, tallying a career-best strikeout total and racking up 16 whiffs over seven frames. The only run he allowed came when Bo Bichette reached on a two-out infield single to knock in Kevin Kiermaier in the third inning. King has been a strikeout machine over his past three outings, posting a 30:2 K:BB along with a 1.62 ERA and 1.02 WHIP over 16.2 innings. It would be an understatement to say that his late-season transition to the rotation has gone well, and King could be setting himself up for a full-time role as a starter in 2024 with his recent outstanding run.
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Yankees' Michael King: Ready for heavier workload
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Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake said that King is built up for 85-to-90 pitches in Thursday's start versus the Red Sox, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.
King reached 79 pitches his last time out against the Brewers, when he fanned nine over five innings while yielding just one earned run. The right-hander has been excellent since moving into the Yankees' rotation, collecting a 1.08 ERA and 21:3 K:BB over 16.2 frames. He's making a case to be one of the team's five starters heading into next season.
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Yankees' Michael King: Possible waiver wire pickups
Rotowire
Michael King's transition from late-game reliever to starting pitcher has proven to be enough of a success that he's now a viable Fantasy target in his new role. His latest outing Saturday against the Brewers was his second straight of five innings, but he upped his pitch count from 69 to 79 without any compromise in stuff, at least if his nine strikeouts are any indication. While most pitchers lose a tick or two as they get stretched out, his velocity has held steady throughout this transition. King's next outing is against the Red Sox, which makes him in iffy play in Fantasy, but if you're looking for an extra start in a Head-to-Head points league, you have the option of slotting him in as a relief pitcher.
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Yankees' Michael King: Fans nine over five frames
Rotowire
King did not factor into the decision Saturday, allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits and one walk over five innings against the Brewers while striking out nine.
King looked sharp against the Brewers, striking out four of the first seven batters he faced to open the contest. Two runs came across for Milwaukee in the top of the fourth, though only one was charged to King following a throwing error by DJ LeMahieu. The right-hander has now gone five innings in back-to-back starts, allowing a total of two earned runs over that stretch while posting a 13:1 K:BB.
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Yankees' Michael King: Collects win Sunday
Rotowire
King (4-5) allowed a run on five hits and struck out four without walking a batter over five innings to earn the win over the Astros on Sunday.
King enjoyed his longest outing of the season, getting through five frames on an economical 69 pitches (44 strikes). That's a further build-up from the 61 pitches he threw over four scoreless innings Tuesday versus Detroit. The right-hander is now at a 2.88 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 91:25 K:BB through 78 innings over 44 appearances (four starts) this year. He appears to be set to remain a starter for the rest of 2023, but he'll likely still have to be efficient to have much of a chance to get wins. King is projected for a home outing versus Milwaukee in his next trip to the mound.
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Yankees' Michael King: Draws another starting assignment
Rotowire
King is slated to start Tuesday's game against the Tigers at Comerica Park, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports.
While making his second "start" of the season his last time out Thursday versus the Nationals, King operated as more of an opener in front of Jhony Brito. King covered 2.2 innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit and two walks while striking out three. The Yankees could have King work a little deeper into his start Tuesday, though the right-hander is still unlikely to hit the five innings he would need to qualify for a win. Unless Brito is needed in relief in Monday's series opener, he could once again following King in Tuesday's contest.
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Yankees' Michael King: Strikes out three as opener
Rotowire
King did not factor into the decision Thursday, allowing one unearned run on one hit and two walks over 2.2 innings against the Nationals while striking out three.
King pitched well over the first two innings but found himself in a jam in the third after walking two of the first four batters he faced in the frame. One unearned run came home following a fielding error by Anthony Volpe and the right-hander was then relieved by Keynan Middleton as New York went with a bullpen day. The Yankees have now lost the last four games in which King has appeared, though he's held his own so far in August with a 3.00 ERA and 20:5 K:BB.
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Yankees' Michael King: Opening Thursday's game
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King will serve as the Yankees' opening pitcher for Thursday's game against Washington, Gary Phillips of the New York Daily News reports.
King allowed two runs in two innings during his last outing as an opener on Aug. 12 against Miami. He'll presumably stay in Thursday's contest for 2-to-3 innings before turning the game over to the bullpen, with Jhony Brito being the most likely candidate to work in bulk relief.
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Yankees' Michael King: Listed as starter
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King is listed as the the Yankees' starting pitcher for Saturday's game against Miami, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports.
Like many major-league relievers, King was a starter in the minors and at the beginning of his MLB career, so being the first pitcher on the mound won't be an entirely new experience. He'll likely be more of an opener than a true starter Saturday, though he did record eight outs in his most recent relief appearance Tuesday against the White Sox and has thrown at least two full innings in 14 of his 38 outings this season. Jhony Brito was recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Friday and could handle the bulk role behind King, though the Yankees have yet to lay out their plans.
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Yankees' Michael King: Nabs sixth save
Rotowire
King picked up the save Saturday against the Cubs. striking out one over 1.2 scoreless innings.
King took over for Gerrit Cole with one out in the top of the eighth and needed just five pitches to retire the next two batters and end the inning. He would later hit Christopher Morel with a pitch in the ninth, but the right-hander was solid outside of that one hiccup en route to earning his sixth save of the season. King has now converted three of his last four save attempts and lowered his season ERA to 2.77 with Saturday's scoreless outing.
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Yankees' Michael King: Notches fourth save
Rotowire
King picked up the save Tuesday against the Mets, striking out one in a perfect ninth inning.
King sealed a 7-6 victory, setting the Mets down in order in the ninth inning after Clay Holmes pitched the eighth. It's King's first save since May 15. He improved to 4-for-6 in save chances with a 2.19 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 41:12 K:BB across 37 innings this season. King should continue to pitch in high-leverage spots for the Yankees, though Holmes is still likely the preferred ninth-inning option.
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Yankees' Michael King: Nabs third save
Rotowire
King earned a save with 1.1 perfect innings against Toronto on Monday.
After the Blue Jays rallied for four runs in the bottom of eighth, King was summoned to put out the fire with two outs and a runner on second. He induced a groundout to end the frame, then stayed around for the ninth, during which he retired the side on 10 pitches. The successful outing earned King his third save, all of which have required him to get more than three outs. While it may be inaccurate to name King the Yankees' primary closer, he is as much in the mix as any of the team's relievers -- since April 27, he's notched three saves, Wandy Peralta has picked up two, two others have one apiece and Clay Holmes has zero.
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Yankees' Michael King: Tuesday's Waiver Wire Targets
Rotowire
It's hard to suggest Michael King is the Yankees closer when Monday's save was his first in nearly two weeks, but it was nice to see them turn to him for a four-out save against the Blue Jays just three days after he gave up three runs against the Blue Jays. It shows a level of trust, and while the Yankees ninth inning still feels pretty wide open – Wandy Peralta got two saves over the weekend – King is worth speculating on if you've been chasing saves in deeper leagues.
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Yankees' Michael King: Possible waiver wire pickups
Rotowire
King has two saves already, but since both were of the multi-inning variety, you might assume that's just his niche. A report came out this weekend, though, saying the Yankees were preparing to use him with greater frequency and in shorter spurts, and it didn't shy away from nominating him as a closer-in-waiting. "We could get there at some point," manager Aaron Boone said. Combine that with the fact that presumptive closer Clay Holmes' past two appearances have come prior to the ninth inning, and "some point" may be just around the corner. Ian Hamilton was the reliever who followed Holmes for a save Saturday, but likely just because King needed a day off. He has been the Yankees' best reliever two years running even while missing some time with a fractured elbow.
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Yankees' Michael King: Available back-to-back soon
Rotowire
King will soon be available to pitch more frequently and in shorter bursts, Andy Martino of SNY.tv reports.
The Yankees have been careful with King's usage so far this season after a fractured pitching elbow ended his 2022 campaign. However, his arm has bounced back well and he has pitched his way into being one of manager Aaron Boone's most trusted relievers. King picked up a 1.2-inning save Tuesday versus the Guardians and, with Clay Holmes struggling, could be asked to shoulder more of the closing load.
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Yankees' Michael King: Closes out victory
Rotowire
King picked up the save in Thursday's 4-2 win over Texas. He allowed one walk while striking out two over 2.1 scoreless innings.
King registered his first save of the season without giving up a hit. The right-hander has posted a 1.72 ERA through 15.2 innings pitched this year, and he will continue to play a significant role in the Yankees' bullpen if he keeps performing at this level.
