The San Diego Padres find themselves in a precarious position as they head into the offseason, facing a level of uncertainty that threatens to reshape the franchise’s immediate future. The core issue revolves around their starting rotation. Two of their most impactful pitchers from recent seasons, Michael King and Dylan Cease, both entered free agency this winter.
Losing either one would deal a significant blow to the club’s stability, but losing both would be disastrous. That fear has already begun to materialize: Cease has officially departed, securing a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, leaving the Padres with one fewer anchor in an already thin rotation.
That puts even more pressure on the Padres to find a way to retain King, but the path forward is complicated. According to reporting from Jim Bowden of The Athletic, King is projected to command a sizable contract—something in the neighborhood of $75 million. That kind of price tag doesn’t automatically scare San Diego away, as they could theoretically remain a player in the bid for the veteran right-hander.
However, it also means the Padres won’t have the field to themselves. Other teams with payroll flexibility and a desire to upgrade their pitching staffs are likely to join the chase, creating a highly competitive marketplace.
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter recently weighed in on how he views King’s free-agent journey unfolding. In his analysis, he predicted that King ultimately won’t return to San Diego. Instead, Reuter believes the Detroit Tigers will end up securing his services. From his perspective, Detroit is positioned well to offer both opportunity and role stability—two factors that tend to matter in free-agency decisions.
Reuter highlighted how the Tigers already have three rotation spots effectively locked in: Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, and Casey Mize are expected to headline the group. Adding an experienced and reliable pitcher like King to that mix would significantly lighten the burden on their younger arms. Prospects and less-established pitchers such as Reese Olson, Troy Melton, and Keider Montero would no longer need to compete for two rotation slots; instead, they would be battling for just one. That shift could improve developmental timelines, limit pressure, and give Detroit a longer runway to evaluate who fits best moving forward.
Reuter also cited reporting from Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, who noted that the Tigers have expressed sincere and targeted interest in King. Petzold emphasized that King possesses the upside to become Detroit’s No. 2 starter, provided he is able to move past the injuries that derailed portions of his 2025 season. Detroit’s motivation here is clear: they need innings and stability.
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The Tigers finished last season ranked 22nd in Major League Baseball in total innings logged by their starting rotation, compiling just 814⅓ innings—a figure far lower than what true playoff contenders typically accumulate. When rotations are overtaxed or inconsistent, the bullpen often faces increased pressure, which can lead to late-season fatigue and diminished performance. Detroit wants to avoid repeating that pattern.
King’s appeal is also rooted in his recent track record. Just one season ago, he delivered 173⅔ innings and secured a seventh-place finish in the National League Cy Young voting. That type of durability and effectiveness is difficult to find on the open market, especially at a cost that still leaves financial room for additional roster upgrades. For a team like the Tigers—who are emerging from their rebuilding years and looking to take a significant step toward contention—King represents an ideal blend of attainability, value, and impact.
Detroit’s front office recognizes that their window to contend is opening sooner than many expected. With young hitters developing, Skubal already performing like a true ace, and Mize showing promise after returning from injury setbacks, the Tigers are assembling a foundation that could hold up against elite American League competition. Adding a pitcher like King isn’t merely about patching a hole; it’s about strengthening the backbone of a roster that could make meaningful postseason noise as soon as next year.
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Financially, Detroit is in an enviable position compared to many other clubs. Their payroll remains manageable, and they have the flexibility to absorb a contract in the $75 million range without compromising future moves. King’s projected contract size aligns comfortably with Detroit’s strategy of making targeted, high-value additions rather than pursuing superstar-level spending sprees. In many ways, he fits the blueprint of the type of player the Tigers have been pursuing: a veteran with both upside and remaining prime years, someone capable of mentoring younger pitchers while still functioning as a reliable top-of-the-rotation contributor.
For King, the fit would be equally beneficial. In Detroit, he would have the opportunity to join a rotation with clear structure—one where he wouldn’t be asked to carry the entire staff but would still be valued as a critical component of the team’s rise. He would also benefit from pitching in a spacious ballpark, which could help suppress home runs and mitigate the risk of inflated earned run averages. If his priority is maximizing performance heading into the later stages of his career, Detroit offers an appealing environment.
If King stays healthy, the Tigers could offer one of the more formidable pitching duos in the American League. A pairing of Skubal and King at the top of the rotation would give Detroit enough firepower to compete with the pitching staffs of the league’s perennial contenders. And they could accomplish it without draining their budget or sacrificing top prospects in trades—strategic advantages that matter deeply for an organization trying to build sustainable long-term success.
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Moves like this are precisely the type that championship-caliber teams must make. It’s not only about acquiring stars; it’s about anticipating needs, addressing weaknesses, and capitalizing on opportunities that appear in the marketplace. The Tigers have watched other teams pass them by for several years, but the organization is no longer in rebuilding mode. They are ready to contend, and signing a pitcher like Michael King could be the pivotal move that accelerates their trajectory from hopeful up-and-comer to legitimate World Series threat.
Meanwhile, the Padres face a very different reality. They must decide whether they are willing to pay the escalating market price to retain King or whether their roster and financial constraints will force them into a new direction entirely. Losing Cease was already a major setback. If King walks as well, San Diego could be heading toward a dramatic restructuring of their rotation—and possibly their overall competitive outlook—this offseason.
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