The San Diego Padres recently got an update on starting pitcher Michael King, who has been out since May due to a shoulder injury.
However, after missing a considerable amount of time, King could be on his back sooner rather than later.
According to 97.3 The Fan, manager Mike Shildt insinuated that King’s next time taking the hill could be on a big league mound. King recently made a rehab start last week, surrendering six earned runs in 3.1 innings with five strikeouts.
“There’s a really good chance, I’m not going to put it in pen yet, but I’ll put it in dark pencil that he’s got a good chance for his next start to be for the Padres’ big league club,” Shildt said.
King was the centerpiece in the Juan Soto trade to the New York Yankees in December 2023. Last season, King was brilliant, pitching to a 13-9 record with a 2.95 ERA and 201 strikeouts. Prior to his injury this season, he picked up right where he left off, boasting a 4-2 record with a 2.59 ERA and 64 strikeouts.
The Padres could use King right about now. They are 62-51, and just three games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL West division lead. Firmly in the thick of a pennant race, the Padres getting their ace back on the mound again could catapult the team into the upper echelon of the National League as they chase a World Series title.
