The Tigers have expressed interest in free agent starter Michael King, reports Evan Petzold of The Detroit Free-Press. King has also been tied to the Yankees, Cubs, Blue Jays and Marlins — though the latter two teams are unlikely fits. Toronto is probably done adding to the rotation now that they’ve agreed to a three-year deal with Cody Ponce. Miami has bigger priorities on the infield and in the bullpen and always seemed a long shot to spend at this level.
King is coming off an injury-shortened season in which he was limited to 15 starts. A nerve issue in his throwing shoulder proved a lot more irritating than initially expected and wound up costing him two and a half months. He also had a minimal injured list stint due to knee inflammation. King looked shaky when he returned in September, allowing 10 runs with a modest 11:7 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 15 2/3 innings.
That adds some risk to his first career trip through free agency. A fully healthy version of King is one of the best pitchers in MLB, though. He finished seventh in NL Cy Young balloting during the 2024 season. King turned in a 2.95 earned run average across 173 2/3 innings in his first full season as a big league starter. He was out to an even better start this year, working to a 2.59 ERA with a 28% strikeout rate over 10 appearances before the nerve injury.
There wasn’t any structural damage. King finished the season healthy, though the Padres didn’t trust him enough to start over Yu Darvish in an elimination game in the Wild Card Series. They were content to make him a qualifying offer, which probably would not have been the case if they felt the injury might impact him in 2026. King rejected in search of a multi-year contract. He’s generally not expected to return to San Diego.
The Tigers are in the market for starting and relief help. They don’t have a clear #2 starter behind Tarik Skubal. That’d probably fall to Reese Olson, but he missed the final two months of 2025 to a shoulder strain. Jack Flaherty is back after exercising his $20MM player option following an up-and-down year. Casey Mize pitched well overall but is more of a #3 or high-end fourth starter than someone the Tigers would want directly behind Skubal in a playoff series. Jackson Jobe won’t be available until the second half after undergoing Tommy John surgery in June.
Rookie righty Troy Melton, who pitched out of the MLB bullpen down the stretch, would probably be the fifth starter if the season opened tomorrow. Keider Montero and Sawyer Gipson-Long lead a thin collection of depth arms. Everyone from that group has minor league options and could work from the bullpen. All teams use more than five starters, so the Tigers certainly need at least one or two additions to protect against injuries.
King’s predicted to get 3 years, 69-75 million range. So Ranger Suarez and Framber Valdez is too expensive.
If any team offers 80-90 million I think King takes it.
Astros – I think you are very low on King’s expectations. 5/120 probably not at all out of reach.
I’d like to see him back in SD and have thought he would extend for 2 seasons now (wrong of course) but I think 1 or more teams will get into the 100-130 range and he will exceed SD’s range.
Maybe a higher AAV 2 year deal comes into play with an opt out.
Should know in a couple of months.
Pretty sure Tigers will not be interested in a deal longer than 2 years for him.
Same with the Cubs. The Astros will be interested if the contract predictions are as it is (or maybe a little higher), his “limit” is 85 million.
si.com/mlb/padres/onsi/san-diego-padres-news/padre…
Well, Cease was overpaid so maybe I think 5 years, 125 million is a deal.
I believe the Blue Jays will be disappointed with Cease! Unless they change his mindset he will be either hit hard or have control issues! I watched him as Sox and hoped he’d change with Pads but very unpredictable!! Sad cause so much talent!
I don’t see any other option than King signing a two-year deal with an opt-out at the end of 2026. He needs to prove he’s healthy for crying out loud. But I don’t see the Tigers as the best fit. Tigers need to go bigger. They must obtain a legitimate #2 behind Skubal. There can be no more excuses. P.S. Could any Tigers fans help me understand how virtually every single offensive player for the Tigers fell off the face of the earth second half 2025 ?? Except maybe…Kerry Carpenter?? That was a bit scary to behold.
Right. No way he’s getting 25/30 mil per over 3+ seasons
Jekyl and Hyde for sure for the Tigers offense. I think a healthy King is up there with Valdez and R. Suarez. I’d be good with him slotting into the #2 starter spot.
@ Ignorant Son-of-a-b
Were you also asking Tiger fans to help you understand why virtually every single offensive player on the team was performing at a level well above conservative projections in the first half of the season?
No you weren’t, because no one was paying attention to that. Detroit sent half a dozen players to the All Star Game and everyone acted like that was completely normal.
The truth is, if you looked at preseason projections almost every single Tiger hitter was over-performing to an alarming degree. Conversely, there wasn’t a single Cleveland hitter performing above expectations. Not one.
Is it any wonder that this would reverse course, and when regression hit, it would hit hard, for BOTH teams. (By the way, this also applied to the teams’ pitching staffs as well.)
The old adage applies: you’re never as good as you look when you’re hitting on all cylinders and you’re never as bad as you are when you’re struggling. Detroit was never the World Series contenders people thought they were at mid-season, and Cleveland was every bit as good as Detroit was, it’s just that they took different routes to get to the high 80’s win teams they actually were.
King has missed atleast 60 games in 3 of his past 5 seasons. Heck his teams have made the playoffs in 5 of the past 6 seasons yet he’s only pitched 15 innings in the playoffs with 12 of those coming in 2024 alone. Only 2 innings pitched in the playoffs for the Yankees and 1 inning for the 2025 Padres.
I can’t squint hard enough to see him landing the 120-150m some think he’ll get this off-season.
I think he’ll get a nice AAV over 2 or 3 years with an opt-out in the deal. Cap the obvious risk for any team and give him some upside as well if he manages to stay healthy and then later secure another nice 3 or 4 year deal in a season or two.
King was by far the nastiest pitcher Cleveland faced this year. Every time I watch him closely, I wonder how anyone hits him. That being said, a team would hope he would still be around to participate in the postseason. Your points are well-taken.
It was mostly a team-wide offensive collapse over the last 3 weeks (that carried over into the postseason). Some combination of mental strain and guys getting pitched differently and guys playing hurt. Prior to that you had some guys slumping, but other guys performing well, which is normal everywhere.
Ah, but that’s the point, there wasn’t a natural distribution of some guys hitting and others slumping over the first half of the season. Detroit was unusually exceeding conservative offensive projections across almost the entire lineup. That they’d run into a “team-wide offensive collapse” could be seen coming from a mile away. It wasn’t due to “mental strain” or “guys being pitched differently,” c’mon. That’s a rationalization. The lineup just fell back to final numbers that were more in line with who they were.
King could be a major steal. He was highly effective in 10 starts before hitting the IL.
Any player could be a major steal but also could be a major flop! Especially now with how much money and length pitchers are getting! I understand it’s a different time but my goodness 7/210 for Cease was crazy and I really like him as a pitcher!
Technically, I agree. More concretely, King’s truncated season and post-injury struggles will likely hold down the amount he gets.
Possibly over 50 million.
Not if he gets back to pre injury form. A healthy King is a borderline ace.
A big “IF” there, yank!
No structural damage from the injury says it’s a reasonable gamble.
That’s a good target for the Tigers to slot in behind Skubal. Less cost than Valdez or Suarez which let’s them spend on a big bat as well!
I’m hoping the Astros sign King but it’s going to be harder. (Actually I want them to sign Suarez but it’s not likely). Looks like the Astros have some more competition.
Any interest in JOE KING ??
Ummm…
Don’t think he’s a baseball ace, he’s a songwriter according to my google search.
You sure you’re not JOE KING?? 🙂
no, my name is not Joe King.
As a padres fan I’d rather of had king back than cease.
I think king is gonna get paid this offseason. Somewhere in the 20-30m aav. The question is who will add the extra year or years.
I believe he gets 5 years 120m – 130m.
Roll the dice on him being healthy and if he is he could very well be the best of this free agent group. Some team will roll the dice.
Simm you at least should upvote me if you are going to post my prediction!
I think the Yankees should be interested in bringing King back and that allows them to move Gil and others for Kwan. However does he want to come back??
King cannot be traded until June 15th and may get a NTC
@mlbnyyfan
And tell me, why would a team with one of the best young rotations and one of the worst offenses be interested in trading Steven Kwan for Luis Gil?
Do people in New York even think about what teams need before they make such silly statements? Or do you just think other teams will leap at the possibility of landing Yankee castoffs regardless of whether it makes sense or not?
No they don’t. It’s a built-in arrogance that only their team matters and others are lining up to supply them with talent to swap for unwanted garbage.
Just like some Yankee fans might overrate their players, it’s possible some Yankee haters might underrate them.
The answer to your Kwan-Gil question should be obvious….the Guardians don’t want to pay Kwan.
“Unwanted Garbage”= a pitcher with an ERA in the 3’s, and controllable for a few more years…..
As a Tigers fan, I’d love to see Kwan traded away from Cleveland. He and Ramirez destroy the Tigers.
No, they hate any trade that disfavors them.
They would say something like
Josh Hader for Jake Bird something like that
Super overrate
This is so silly, as if some fanbases are more sophisticated.
I mean you’re an Astro fan I’m guessing, half of you can’t even admit you cheated.
@DogDays2
More simplistic nonsense from the perspective of big market fans.
Cleveland is quite willing to pay Kwan through the end of his arbitration years, at which point he will be in a decline phase, which is when big market teams will overpay him for past performance. Kwan is waiting for this overpayment, and Cleveland is enjoying his prime. Neither side is the least bit interested in an extension.
That doesn’t mean Cleveland is inclined to trade him. Why should they? He’s two years from free agency. We get his enormous present value on the field, then we let him walk for a nice draft pick.
The idea that there is any urgency to trade a Steven Kwan–especially when the team is in dire need of offense–is a figment of media pea brains and big market fans’ fevered dreams, none of whom understand how Cleveland competes with its limited resources.
Your comment perfectly encapsulates the ignorance of big market fans. We’ve learned to tolerate such shallow observations; doesn’t mean they aren’t annoying.
And yes, many of us know that Luis Gil is a fine pitcher when he’s available, and that he carries substantial value. But the idea that he’d be attractive to Cleveland in a proposed Kwan swap is disrespectful and typical of a self-absorbed, clueless fan of a big market team who can’t be bothered to understand the needs of the “lessers” in the league.
With all due respect, you have no idea what you’re talking about. You are not in Guardian team meetings, have no idea about their budget and act like Gil wouldn’t even make their rotation. As if no small market teams have ever traded a young star in his prime because of financial reasons.
Breaking down fan knowledge based on small and big market fans might be the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Calling Gil a “castoff” is moronic in itself.
I admit they cheated. I also do think that the Astros can be good without cheating and the other fanbases are taking it too far.
@DogDays2
I never characterized Luis Gil in that way. In fact, I was highly complimentary of him.
You, on the other hand, clearly have no clue how Cleveland operates or what their strengths or weaknesses are, yet you talk like a every clueless big market fan who thinks he knows (1) that money is the driver of every small market decision–not winning!–and (2) every player coming off a big market team can EASILY find a place on a small market team.’s roster.
Ah, the effortless, subconscious arrogance!
You’re like a little kid: insulting, while literally saying absolutely nothing. Money is almost ALWAYS a key component to a small market team. I guess you forgot when they traded Naylor, Lindor and others.
The fact that you would rather get a draft pick in two years instead of real value for Kwan shows you’re no expert. That would be nuts.
You’re literally angry at me and others here because god forbid, we brought up the possibility of Kwan being traded , which has been reported in numerous places!
And yes, Kwan is a nice player but to be insulted with a package including a pretty solid pitcher is clueless. He isn’t Willie Friggin Mays.
Simplistic. Unoriginal. Predictable.
The characteristics of all big market fans who make generalizations of about that which they do not know.
The only thing truly “insulting” are attitudes like yours, the belief that all the hard-working men and women in excellent organizations like Cleveland’s are motivated not by winning in a difficult environment, but simply reacting to every situation or circumstance like it’s all about the money.
Never mind that Cleveland was seeking rotation help after 2024 and found it in Arizona and peddled a first baseman away whose performance cratered down the stretch that season and floundered in the playoffs when the team needed him the most.
Not trusting his performance, the team took advantage of Arizona needing a 1B after Christian Walker left and obtained a major league ready rotation piece and the best Canadian prep pitching prospect with Arizona’s CBP, losing one year of a first baseman for a dozen years of pitchers. Oh, and the team turned around and paid MORE to Carlos Santana than Josh Naylor would have cost in 2025.
Armed with better pitching depth and Kyle Manzardo replacing Josh Naylor’s production, the team stormed to its second straight AL Central Title and third in the last four.
And it’s precisely BECAUSE Cleveland wants to compete that it will hold onto Kwan. His present value to the team this year and next exceeds whatever what he would fetch back, and the draft pick they would receive back after he walks is important to small market teams…but you would know nothing about that, would you?
But yeah, you set me straight and say it was all about the money, not competing for titles. Because every time you open your mouth, you insult every fan of a well-run small market team with your simplistic and obnoxious big market rants.
You’re an a-hole. You can’t even have a baseball convo without playing unhinged tough guy.
You’re right though, trading Lindor before free agency, was all about winning!! Nothing to do with money! You can’t even tell me what I said that was so wrong.
The Guardians will trade Kwan , before free agency to get value for an asset, something you obviously don’t understand.
Of course, you won’t admit you’re wrong, you’ll just go away like all the cowards…
@DogDays2
Naturally, you’re the only one in this conversation who resorted to calling anyone names. Clearly, I struck a nerve.
You ignored my Josh Naylor explanation, no surprise there, ignoring that Carlos Santana cost more than he did (ill-advisedly). But then, all we care about is money…
With respect to Lindor, he admitted he quit on the team in 2020, his production plummeted to a .750 OPS, and with one year left of arbitration, was going to get a RAISE of 25% after a down season to $22.3m. Cleveland knew he wasn’t worth that and dealt him for two players who combined for the same WAR as Lindor in yet another down year where he was paid far more than he was worth.
Lindor wasn’t staying in CLE regardless of the money waved in his face; he was a self-styled “superstar” who craved the big market lights, and he got them. Never mind he’s appeared in fewer postseason games since leaving CLE than Jose Ramirez has. CLE moved on from Lindor because he had no interest in staying in a podunk town, not winning. And you think we could have done anything about that?
Of course you do, because you think money makes the world go round.
With respect to Kwan, and it’s painful for you to admit you can’t grasp this, but to get an asset, you have to trade an asset. If you don’t trade the asset, you still HAVE the asset, and since CLE possesses one of the worst offenses in the AL and wins via run prevention, how does trading one of the few plus hitters on our team, who is also defensively elite, help bring us back something that gives us more than we already have?
We are Central Champs, bucko! Tell me how trading Kwan makes us better right now? Because we’re not rebuilding, we ALREADY have one of the two or three youngest teams in the league. And why would any team give us BACK a two-way player who is BETTER than Kwan? Why would they do that? Answer: they won’t. Which is why a deal is completely stupid at this point, until and unless Cleveland is no longer in contention status, something that can’t even begin to be assessed until the trade deadline in 2026, if that.
But again, such considerations are WAY over your head. You see small market…good player…he’ll be traded, because team won’t pay him.
Never mind that Manny Ramirez…and Jim Thome…and Michael Brantley…ALL played out their time in Cleveland without being dealt. Yes, you see, it’s been done before, and we’ll do it again, as long as Steven Kwan is well worth what he’s being paid. That’s just dollars AND sense, something that escapes you.
Are you nuts? You insult everyone’s intelligence who just mentions the real possibility of Kwan getting traded! Half your responses are insults without tying it to anything I said like a ranting maniac.
My point dummy is that if they don’t trade the asset before it’s too late, they receive ZERO for the asset!
Btw, your bizarre player scenario is stupid since current ability is not the only factor in making trades. There are other considerations such as money, even though that bugs you so much.
Manny Ramirez?? That was 25 years ago Bucko lol…. when Cleveland actually drew fans to their games. Things change geez. Those teams were legitimate contenders.
And yes, whenever there’s good player, small market… I DO think there’s a possibility of a trade. It happens ALL the time . I don’t have to go back to 2000 like you.
Only the arrogant and clueless would lecture us that getting a season or two of an All-Star player instead of trading him would be netting ZERO in present value.
But there you have it, folks, the world as seen from the big market perspective. Nobody tells the Yankees and Dodgers they better sell their best players while they can!
Big markets trade prospects all the time for consistent performers in their walk year. It’s called acquiring rentals who can address specific team needs. But when we hold onto OUR “rentals” in order to be competitive, we’re called stupid.
Small market fans are entirely correct when they chafe at simplistic viewpoints such as, “Kwan better be traded before he’s lost for NOTHING.” When we counter and explain that those players provide present value to OUR team’s competitive hopes, oh, we’re being delusional or naive.
Get the heck out of here with your narrow minded, double-standard perspective on what small market teams must do with their best players to survive.
I literally feel sorry for you, clearly you’re a close-minded bitter old man. You’re literally making up things I never said like Kwan doesn’t provide any value in the present. Huh?
The Yankee /Dodger comment is true. Why? BECAUSE they have more money than you!!! Kwan will be traded before free agency because your own front office intelligently understands how to be successful just like they did with Naylor, Lindor etc. (your excuses for those trades non-withstanding. That was financial too.) This will help them to continue being competitive into the future .
For a small market team to be successful they must utilize their assets just like the Tampa Bay Rays do and the then-Oakland A’s did.
I’m sorry you don’t like it but economics are a reality in baseball.
If you’re going to reply, make sure it’s in response to what I said and not ridiculous made-up facts and /or nutty assertions like big market/ small market fan bs.
mlb.com/news/francisco-lindor-trade-by-indians-was…
Read point 5
I think you meant to direct that to Avory, not me.
As that doesn’t negate anything I’ve said.
I didn’t read everything you wrote but please explain how trading Lindor made it better.
No idea the point you’re making, sorry
Nvr mind.
I did not make anything up.
You quite clearly said Cleveland would get ZERO, nothing, if they didn’t trade him.
That’s patently not true. He will be playing games for us not somebody else.
How did I mischaracterize anything you said?
You disrespectfully dismissed another poster (and the team by dismissing the complexity involved in such matters) by saying it was OBVIOUS the reason Kwan would be traded imminently was solely because of the money.
Not performance.
Not whether the team had replacements.
Not where the team was in its competitive circumstances.
Not where Steven Kwan and his family might want to play the remainder of his career.
Not whether it made any sense for Cleveland to devote resources on a declining player.
No, you simply had the simplistic, predictable, knee-jerk reaction of shallow-thinking fans when reacting to small market moves by saying: “Isn’t it obvious? It’s ALL about the money.”
And that’s the crux of the matter, folks like you thinking they know how others think and behave. Well trust me, we know how YOU think. And it’s wildly uninformed and disrespectful.
Well apparently , you don’t know how small market teams like yours constantly behaves. And that’s to sell off assets because they can’t afford/ or don’t want to pay them. This isn’t some concept I’m imagining, it’s happening all the time!
OBVIOUSLY , they get Kwans production NOW, but will sell him so they won’t LOSE him for nothing.
I’m still not sure why you’re mad at me, I’m simply talking about something that’s happened in baseball for years.
have a feeling he’s gonna be the best value contract of the SPs
Jordan Montgomery could be a wild card amongst available starters.
List the cities that has a MLB team in order that you would like to work in and send your kids to school in.
Pittsburgh, San Diego, Arlington, Denver, Cincinnati, Cleveland. Seattle is pretty but it sure rains. Anywhere with mountains.
Pittsburgh, Arlington, then idk maybe Atlanta, Kansas City, Milwaukee. Bottom would be San Francisco, Philly, Baltimore. If we’re talking suburbs, it gets a little more gray on both sides. I live in a suburb of Chicago, 25 mins from ChiSox. Definitely different from the neighborhood over from the stadium.
Remember when Mike Hampton signed in Colorado because of the “quality of the public school system?” lel
If they sign him or anyone, I’ll believe it when I see it….otherwise these rumors are all white noise and a waste of time to read
C’mon Tigers!
Just spend the money and sign Ranger Suarez.
Stop messing around.
Life’s too short!
Absolutely! King and Suarez will both coat a draft pick. With three starting pitchers hitting free agency next offseason, a reliable starter on a multi year contract would be a big plus.
*cost* a draft pick
Hopefully my Orioles will stay away from Kin g and sign Ranger Suarez and Chris Bassitt
I’m glad the Tigers seem to be going for it instead of trading Skubal for parts.
Just bring back Verlander already
Do both.
I see the fit, but selfishly want to see him back to the Yanks. What the interest level in such a reunion there is we’ll see, but he’ll have plenty of options imo.
We’re on pins and needles, just like King’s shoulder.
Melton looked like a #2 starter to me in his limited starts (debut against Pittsburgh notwithstanding). Looks like a potential Ace in the making.
No they’re not. The second Flaherty exercised his option and Torres accepted the qualifying offer the Tigers offseason was over. Please stop linking anymore free agents
It is a nightmare scenario that the Tiger front office was hoping to avoid, but they painted themselves into a corner overpaying for veteran players they just felt they had to have. They deserve what they get.