Gerrit Cole’s unfortunate season-ending injury opens the door for the New York Yankees to make a bold trade to bring back a player they likely regret trading last year.
Entering spring training, there was a great deal of excitement surrounding the New York Yankees. Sure, they lost star outfielder Juan Soto in free agency. However, they made a slew of moves in response that had many around the game believing they might be a better team now than when they went to the World Series in October.
However, the team has been hit with some major injuries in recent weeks. Playoff hero Giancarlo Stanton is dealing with an issue in both his elbows that has him sidelined indefinitely. And over the weekend the team suffered a major blow when ace Gerrit Cole was forced to undergo Tommy John surgery. The loss of their best pitcher has many wondering if they have enough to get back to the World Series in 2025.
There has been a great deal of speculation about how they could address the massive hold in the starting rotation. And one interesting option could see them look to bring back former stud prospect Michael King.
Related: 5 New York Yankees starting pitcher trade targets after the Gerrit Cole injury
Should New York Yankees explore reunion with Michael King?
Before the 2024 MLB season, the Yankees made a huge trade to acquire San Diego Padres outfielder Juan Soto. A key part of that deal was including talented young pitcher Michael King. After a pair of seasons with a sub-3.00 ERA, King continued his strong play by going 13-9 and pitching to a 2.95 ERA for San Diego last season. With Soto being one and done in New York, the team likely regrets giving up such a good player just hitting his prime.
There is no doubt King is a very good pitcher with All-Star potential. While most teams would prefer to hold on to a player like that, the Padres are in the midst of a transition in leadership. And the team’s ownership reportedly wants to slash payroll. Both King and fellow pitcher Dylan Cease are free agents after this season. So moving them now before losing them in the offseason would make sense.
- Michael King stats (2024): 13-9 record, 2.95 ERA, 1.192 WHIP, 201 strikeouts, 173.2 innings pitched
While trades this late in spring training are uncommon, the Padres desire to cut costs has not disappeared in recent weeks. Furthermore, King reportedly has a lower asking price than Cease. The Yankees can’t assume Cole will return to elite form in 2026. Bringing in a proven pitcher who is still only 29 should be seriously considered.
New York has the money to give him a new long-term deal in the offseason if he has another strong season. If not, they can let him walk. They will likely have to give up premium prospects in a deal. However, the team’s World Series window is very small with this group. Can they afford a lost year? The pitcher who has made 30-plus starts the last three years would fill a need now and long-term for a pitching staff that is old and injury prone.
Related: New York Yankees rotation in crisis after losing 40% of starting staff to injuries in week span