Jason Burgos
An MLB expert believes there is a very real chance the New York Yankees reunite this winter with a former stud prospect they traded away a couple of years ago.
It will be interesting to see how the Yanks approach this offseason. For the fourth time in the last five seasons, they won over 90 games and finished with the fourth-best record in all of baseball (94-68) this past season. They also beat rivals, the Boston Red Sox, in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
However, losing in four Divisional Round games against the Toronto Blue Jays proved that they are still some pieces away from bringing a 28th title to the Bronx. There has been a lot of speculation about what position they will look to improve in the offseason, including third base. MLB Network insider Bryan Hoch believes they could add to the starting rotation, and it would be in a reunion with Michael King.
Will the Yankees target Michael King in MLB free agency?
“I think there are a lot of people in the Yankees organization that would love to get their hands back on Michael King,” Hoch said on a new edition of Baseball Night in NY. “They never wanted to let him go in the first place, but he was part of the price to pay to get Juan Soto. And that worked out pretty well because the Yankees wound up in the World Series. This is their chance here.
“King’s asking price might have come down because of injury. He’s certainly going to get a decent offer out on the market, but considering Carlos Rodon [is recovering from surgery, Gerrit Cole isn’t due back to start the year, and Clark Schmidt’s on the IL, yeah, he fits.”
- Michael King stats: 5-3 record, 3.44 ERA, 1.200 WHIP, 76 SO, 26 BB, 73.1 IP
The San Diego Padres pitcher was part of the trade return when the Yankees acquired Juan Soto two years ago. He had a very good season in 2024 as he went 13-9 and posted a 2.95 ERA for the Pads. However, injuries hampered him throughout this past season.
Even before he was traded out of New York, he showed he was a pitcher on the rise and could handle the New York spotlight as he posted a 2.29 and 2.75 ERA over 83 appearances in 2022 and 2023.
