May 6, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; San Diego Padres starting pitcher Michael King (34) pitches in the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Padres' Michael King Has Hilarious Comment After Pitching Against Yankees

Originally posted on San Diego Padres on SI
By Nelson Espinal | Last updated May 7, 2025 4:00 PM ET

San Diego Padres pitcher Michael King returned to Yankee Stadium, a place he called home for several years before settling on the West Coast.

King was drafted by the Miami Marlins in 2016, but he made his major league debut with the New York Yankees, where he ptiched his entire career until being traded to the Padres.

Since he was familiar with the home team’s dugout, he didn’t want to let his old habits take over.

“It was fun,” King told reporters after the game of pitching at Yankee Stadium. “I was thinking there was gonna be a chance I started walking to the other dugout, but I didn’t do that. So that was a win.”

As a 24-year-old, he got his big break in the Bronx, pitching one game in 2019 and struggling in 2020, when he posted a 7.76 ERA in 26.2 innings pitched.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and the organization kept their faith in King, and he got to pitch more than 60 innings in 2021.

The results were significantly better, featuring a 3.55 ERA, generating a WAR of 0.7, and establishing himself as an MLB pitcher.

Michael King is set to face the Yankees for the first time since being traded to the Padres in the Juan Soto deal in December of 2023.

Thoughts on this trade 17 months later? pic.twitter.com/EbXtKqnela
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) May 6, 2025

A lot of his success came as his fastball velcoity rose from 93.8 mph to 95.4 mph over 12 months.

After his breakthrough in 2021, King posted an ERA under 3.00 in each of his next two seasons, generating 1.7 and 2.3 WAR, making him one of the better pitchers in baseball.

Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller traded for King during the 2024 offseason, a move that is now a masterstroke considering King had a 3.9 WAR in 2024 and has already accumulated a 1.3 WAR in 2025.

Given the Yankees' struggles with starting pitching, they would likely welcome King to help remedy their primary weakness, as their starting pitchers have been underperforming, with the exception of Max Fried.

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

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