The New York Yankees have as much talent as any team in baseball, but some injuries have hurt them this year.
Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt both underwent season-ending elbow surgery this year. While they are expected to make a full recovery, it’s hard to accurately predict how a big league pitcher will respond to this kind of surgery.
With that in mind, it wouldn’t hurt the Yankees to go after a pitcher in free agency.
MLB’s Mark Feinsand recently listed the Yankees as a potential landing spot for San Diego Padres ace Michael King. King played with the Yankees from 2019 until 2023. Spotrac projects the righty to sign for $97 million in free agency this offseason.
“King has quietly emerged as one of the game’s top starters since making the move from the bullpen, posting a 2.92 ERA in his two seasons in the Padres’ rotation,” Feinsand wrote. “The right-hander has been limited to 11 starts this season due to a nerve impingement near his shoulder, but assuming he returns and shows that he’s healthy, King — who is expected to decline his $15 million mutual option to become a free agent — should be one of the most sought-after arms during the offseason.”
Bringing King back to the Bronx would be a dream come true for the Yankees. New York traded him away in the Juan Soto deal, and he’s been incredible in a Padres uniform.
Now that he’s pitching at his best, the Yankees could bring him back to town and use him as a key piece of their next World Series push. It makes sense for both sides.
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