Breaking: Padres Pitcher Gets Nod From MLB Analyst as…

The San Diego Padres had one of the better pitching staffs in baseball this season and it could get better in 2025 despite not having Joe Musgrove.

Michael King could be the just what the Padres hoped he would be and more.

King is coming off his first season as a full-time starter and was arguably San Diego’s most consistent arm from start to finish.

Because of that, MLB Network’s Ryan Dempster predicts that King will win the 2025 National League Cy Young. It’s a little early for this type of award prediction but everything he did this season is indicative of what is to come.

The former reliever transitioned into one of baseball’s standout starters during his first full season with San Diego. He posted an impressive 2.95 ERA and struck out 201 batters, solidifying his place as a key piece of the Padres’ rotation.

King also played a pivotal role in San Diego’s postseason push, starting the game that secured their playoff berth.

Logging a career-high 173.2 innings — 69 more than his previous season with the New York Yankees — he exceeded expectations while nearing the workload goal he set during spring training. His contributions helped frame the Juan Soto trade as a win-win for the Padres. At times, he made the exchange tilt in the Padres’ favor.

King’s dominance took some time to develop. He had to learn how to be an effective starter and it was evident early on that there would be an adjustment period. By the end of April, his ERA sat at 5.00, and he led the league in both home runs allowed and walks issued.

The challenges weren’t without explanation. Transitioning to a starter’s role meant mastering a new routine, including optimizing his weight room work and recovery at the training table. On the mound, he faced the task of effectively managing lineups through multiple turns, a skill essential for sustained success as a starter.

King proved to be a workhorse for the Padres, delivering six starts of seven or more innings, second only to Dylan Cease on the team. Early worries about workload limitations gradually disappeared as the season progressed.

By September, King’s velocity, arm slot, and other metrics remained steady, and he excelled with a dominant 1.57 ERA during the final stretch.