San Diego Padres pitcher Michael King was expected to become the rotation’s No. 1 starter. But the 2026 campaign has been rough for him. It was good to see King finish the first half with a solid outing.
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Now, he must come back with that same mindset when the second half begins next Friday. King has an opportunity to bounce back and turn his season around. But the right-hander must show his true competitive nature on the mound.
Are King’s pitching skills regressing?
We have all heard the talk of his regression, as the Friar Faithful believe King is a “five-and-fly” starting pitcher. The term means a starting pitcher completing five full innings to be eligible for the victory. King only has eight quality starts this season.
The Padres trusted him to put them in a position to win every fifth day. He is a much better pitcher than the first-half results have shown. The second half is the time to silence his critics.
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King is 6-7 with a 3.41 ERA in 19 starts. He has surrendered 82 hits and issued 43 walks in 108.1 innings pitched.
His struggles have been failing to record outs against elevated competition, especially the Padres’ main division rival, the Los Angeles Dodgers. King has allowed six earned runs over 10.1 innings pitched in two starts against the team up north. He could not limit the damage from the Dodgers’ potent offensive attack.
What are his in-game troubles?
The problem is the amount of contact given up. King cannot build momentum because he cannot locate his pitches. Too often, he has been victimized by leaving pitches over the plate.
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His four-seamer and sinker have been hit the hardest. Neither pitch is offering enough movement to freeze batters in the box. The one positive is that his changeup is inducing soft contact for outs. This season, it is King’s second-most-thrown pitch in starts.
Wins have been hard to come by this season for the Friars. Getting King back on track is a significant hurdle to playing better baseball in the second half. Right now, who besides him would you expect to win a game? The list is not very long at this moment.
The Padres need an innings eater in the worst way. It is time for King to step up and carry the extra load, as the starting rotation is in dire straits.
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