The reunion tour is officially canceled, and the Yankees are once again left holding an empty bag in the starting pitching market.
Michael King, the former setup man turned starter, has reportedly signed a three-year, $75 million extension to remain with the San Diego Padres, spurning a return to the Bronx for the security of the West Coast.
Losing out on a top target always stings, but watching King secure $25 million annually without throwing a pitch for you is a sobering reality check for Brian Cashman, who now has to scramble to fill a rotation spot that looks more vulnerable by the day.
This latest whiff forces the Yankees into a corner where the only remaining options are “expensive” or “painful.”
The spotlight now shifts aggressively to Japanese ace Tatsuya Imai, but signing him will require a massive financial commitment likely exceeding $150 million, a figure that makes the front office sweat given his lack of MLB experience. If Cashman balks at that price tag, he will have to pivot to the trade market, where the cost of doing business will be top-tier prospects like Spencer Jones or Elmer Rodriguez.
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Maybe Dodging the King Contract Is a Blessing in Disguise
While the headline looks bad, there is a legitimate argument that the Yankees might have dodged a bullet by not matching that $75 million price tag.
King has electric stuff, but his medical file is thicker than a phone book, and guaranteeing three years at that AAV to a pitcher with serious durability concerns is a gamble the Padres can afford to take more than the Yankees. Cashman needs a workhorse to support the rotation, not another question mark who might spend August on the injured list nursing a sore elbow.
However, “winning” the value argument doesn’t put innings on the board, and the Yankees are running out of bodies. The team has already watched their bullpen depth evaporate, with the Bronx exodus leaving the Yankees helpless as the Mets poached Luke Weaver to complete a stolen bullpen alongside Devin Williams. Staying patient is a virtue, but when your crosstown rivals are signing your former players and the market is thinning out, patience starts to look a lot like paralysis.
Looking Ahead: Cashman Needs to Pick a Lane
The Yankees are currently stuck in neutral, seemingly waiting for a perfect deal that doesn’t exist. They need to get aggressive immediately, whether that means paying the premium for Imai or exploring smaller pivots, such as why the Yankees should inquire with the Phillies about a Matt Strahm trade to stabilize the staff. The Michael King ship has sailed; if the Yankees don’t act fast, they’ll be left stranded at the dock while the rest of the league sails toward October.