Jul 19, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher John King (47) throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the eighth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Cardinals Lose 31-Year-Old Pitcher to Marlins in Free Agency

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Feb 11, 2026 4:24 PM ET

One former member of the St. Louis Cardinals has found a new home just as Spring Training camps around the league have started to open up.

It's a big week around Major League Baseball. Spring Training camps started to open up on Tuesday. The Cardinals will officially kick off camp on Thursday with pitchers and catchers scheduled to report.

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With camps opening up, we've seen plenty of players already find deals throughout the week as they attempt to land with franchises for a full Spring Training. On Wednesday, former Cardinals hurler John King joined the crew of players who have found deals this week and agreed to terms on a deal with the Miami Marlins, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

"Left-handed reliever John King and the Miami Marlins are in agreement on a one-year, $1.5 million contract, sources tell ESPN," Passan wrote. "King, 31, was non-tendered by St. Louis in November and lands with the Marlins on a fully guaranteed big league deal."

The former Cardinals hurler has found a new home

Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

King is a six-year big league veteran and spent parts of the last three seasons in St. Louis. King joined the organization in 2023 in the trade with the Texas Rangers centered around Jordan Montgomery. On top of King, the Cardinals also brought Tekoah Roby and Thomas Saggese to town.

Overall, King pitched in 127 big league games for St. Louis. Over that stretch, he logged a 3.33 overall ERA in 127 innings pitched.

St. Louis opted to non-tender King this offseason, as Passan pointed out. While he may not be with St. Louis any longer, he's someone with upside. He's just 31 years old and was good overall in St. Louis, despite a tough 2025 season. In 2025, he had a 4.66 ERA in 51 appearances. In comparison, he had a 2.85 ERA in 56 appearances in 2024. The bullpen is volatile. At a price of $1.5 million over one year, he certainly is worth the risk with the upside that he has.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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