San Diego Padres pitcher Michael King (34) is visited on the mound by pitching coach Ruben Niebla (57) during the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on July 4, 2024. Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Former Padres All-Star Says 'Something Going On' With Michael King Injury

Originally posted on San Diego Padres on SI
By J.P. Hoornstra | Last updated May 30, 2025 6:00 PM ET

Former San Diego Padres closer Heath Bell has been behind the curtain of a major league trainer's room in the most literal sense.

When he learned pitcher Michael King was going on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, an injury that was reportedly the result of an awkward sleeping position, an alarm bell went off. (No pun intended.)

In a new segment with Kyle Glaser on Friars Territory, Bell expressed pessimism about the nature of King's injury.

"(Michael) King slept on (his shoulder) wrong — there was something going on," Bell told Glaser. "You don't go on an injury (list) because you slept on something wrong. You kind of maybe miss a start, or whatnot, because your neck tightened up or your back tightened up. You get a chiropractor, boom, you're back in fine. Get the trainers to work on you.

"Either the trainers aren't paying attention and they're not preventing injuries, or everybody's just lying to the press."

The three-time All-Star went on to say it's not the only suspicious injury progression for a Padres pitcher this month.

Bell pointed out that Yu Darvish made two Cactus League starts for the Padres in spring training before he was shut down because of the injury. Then, after beginning the season on the injured list, he was cleared to begin a rehab assignment only to be shut down again.

"There's something going on that maybe nobody wants to tell us," Bell postulated. "Maybe there's a slight tear that nobody wants to talk about. ... I don't know."

Inflammation in the elbow can be both a symptom and a cause of an injury. If it's a symptom of something more serious afflicting Darvish or King, neither they nor any team personnel have confirmed as much publicly.

Bell knows enough from his personal experience to be skeptical.

"Somebody's lying to me," he said. "That's basically what it comes down to."

King, 30, is 4-2 with a 2.59 ERA in 10 starts this season. The backdated 15-day IL placement allows him to be activated as early as June 6.

Judging by Bell's comments, however, even a minor injury should not be taken as a sure sign of a minimum IL stay.

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This article first appeared on San Diego Padres on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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