New Padres trade rumor gives Blue Jays chance to stick it to Yankees

San Diego has reportedly discussed the pitcher in talks.

Michael King of the San Diego Padres delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the NL Division Series in October.
Michael King of the San Diego Padres delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the NL Division Series in October. | Harry How/GettyImages

Want to turn a tough offseason around quickly? One way would be to take advantage of an opportunity that not only addresses a need, but sticks it to a division rival as well. And the Blue Jays may have one of those right now.

The San Diego Padres have reportedly discussed right-handed starter Michael King in trade talks, according to multiple reports. CBS Sports is reporting the Padres may want to cut payroll before Opening Day, and moving King is on the table.

Starting pitching is a need for the Blue Jays, especially after missing out on Corbin Burnes and Roki Sasaki. Toronto wants to add rotation depth, since there is a common belief that Yariel Rodriguez would fare better pitching out of the bullpen instead of making a regular turn to start. King would certainly fill that need, providing a young, reliable arm with strikeout power that can take the mound every fifth day.

King, 29, was one of five players San Diego acquired in the Juan Soto trade with the Yankees in December 2023. New York shipped King to California just a few months after giving him a regular spot in the rotation.

Blue Jays could stick it to Yankees by trading for Padres' Michael King

After making three short starts to build up stamina, King made six starts in September and October 2023. Among those starts were two against the Blue Jays: a 13-strikeout performance in which King allowed one run over seven innings, and another start where he allowed one hit over six scoreless innings. King finished the month with a 2.27 ERA and 1.137 WHIP over 31.2 innings with 40 strikeouts and just seven walks.

With San Diego, King posted a 2.95 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 30 starts and 173.1 innings, striking out 201 batters as opposed to just 63 walks. He won 13 games, finished seventh in Cy Young Award voting and landed on the All-MLB Second Team.

King would obviously be a great fit for the Blue Jays, and reminding the Yankees of dealing an arm like this away for one year of Juan Soto would be marvelous. Imagine King pitching well against the Yankees multiple times each season, as well as the rest of the American League East.

But is it a realistic option? Do the Jays have enough to offer San Diego, and even if they do, how would it affect the payroll? King is a free agent next year and is likely heading to an arbitration hearing this month. King filed for $8.8 million and the Padres came in at $7.325 million. Cot's Baseball Contracts has Toronto's CB tax payroll at about $254 million, well above the first luxury tax threshold of $241 million, though it is under the $261 million second threshold.

It's no secret the Blue Jays farm system has seen better days. It is better than it was a year ago, but is there enough to contend with teams that have much deeper and stronger farm systems? Even CBS Sports notes the "Blue Jays may lack the trade chips to get a King deal done, but they have to at least call and ask, right?" Sure. It's not like we hear "the Blue Jays are in on someone" every other day anyway.

The lack of depth probably means Toronto would have to give up a prized prospect like Trey Yesavage, Orelvis Martinez or Arjun Nimmala. That may be a high price to pay for a year of King, assuming Toronto would be unable to get him to sign a long-term deal. If the Padres want someone off the active roster who can help them this year, it's unlikely there's a move that makes sense.

San Diego made the Division Series last year, and they still want to contend. The Blue Jays roster probably doesn't offer much of a cost-effective upgrade from what the Padres have now. Toronto also wants to be competitive in 2025, so there is a limit to who they'd move from the MLB roster.

It would probably take some kind of combination involving a top prospect and a player who is close to MLB ready or has some MLB experience. Whether the Blue Jays have enough to entice San Diego, and outbid other teams, is questionable, but it is worth looking into. Any chance to improve the rotation is worth it, especially if it haunts the Yankees and their fans.

Schedule