Right-hander Michael King transitioned from a relief role to a starting gig this year and the results were encouraging enough that the Yankees will give him a chance to stick in the rotation next year. Both King himself and manager Aaron Boone tell Greg Joyce of The New York Post that the righty will go into the offseason preparing to take on a starter’s workload in 2024. “I’m looking forward to seeing how we go 150-plus innings,” King says.
King, now 28, came into 2023 with most of his major league work having come as a reliever. 56 of his 66 appearances were out of the bullpen and even his 10 starts were mostly in the range of three or four innings, making him more of a bulk guy than a true starter. He seemed destined for another year in that capacity but his role shifted as the season wore on. The club endured significant injuries in their rotation, with Frankie Montas, Carlos Rodón, Nestor Cortes and Luis Severino all missing extended stretches of time.
The one silver lining of those injuries is that King was asked to cover for those absences and ended up thriving. His final eight outings of the year were all starts and he posted an earned run average of 1.88 in that time, striking out 31.4% of batters while walking just 5.9%. When combined with his work earlier in the year, he had a 2.75 ERA on the season as a whole, logging 104 2/3 innings.
That finish to the season constitutes a very small sample size but it’s understandable that the Yankees are willing to see if that can be pushed further. Even if he can’t quite maintain that excellent form, a slight bit of regression could still have him in position to be a serviceable starter.
The extra workload will come with health concerns, as King’s innings tally in 2023 was already his largest as a major leaguer. He has been in the range of 150 innings as a minor leaguer, but he’s a few years removed from that now. He tossed 149 frames on the farm in 2017 and then 161 1/3 in 2018, but then was well below that in subsequent campaigns. That included his 2022 season being ended by an elbow fracture in July after 51 frames.
That creates some uncertainty about how his arm will hold up next year, but it seems the Yankees will take a shot on him, with plenty of room available for King to stick in the rotation. Montas and Severino are both set to reach free agency in a few short weeks, leaving a series of question marks behind ace Gerrit Cole. Both Rodón and Cortes will be in the mix but neither of them cracked 65 innings in 2023 due to their respective ailments. Clarke Schmidt will be involved as well after registering a decent 4.64 ERA this year, though he seems ticketed for a back-end or depth role. Randy Vásquez and Yoendrys Gómez are on the 40-man but each has very limited major league experience thus far. The same goes for Luis Gil, who underwent Tommy John surgery in May of 2022.
Of course, the Yankees will also have the entire offseason to bring in free agents or trade acquisitions before King reports to Spring Training, but that’s a hurdle he seems happy to have in front of him. “I’ve always said, it’s almost more fun and more of a challenge if they do sign a couple guys and in Spring Training, [I’m] coming in and saying, ‘You’re going to realize that I’m better than what you’re putting out there,’ ” King said at the end of the regular season. “That sounds cocky, but that’s the approach you gotta have when you’re trying to get the spot you want.”
If King is able to successfully hang onto a rotation gig going forward, it would be a nice development for the club but for him personally as well, with starters having greater earning power than relievers. King made $1.3MM in 2023, his first time qualifying for arbitration. The arbitration projections of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz suggest he’ll effectively double that and get to the $2.6MM range in 2024. He would then be due one more arbitration raise in 2025 before he’s slated for free agency heading into the 2026 season.
The pro analytics, “swing and miss” New York Yankees.
He is one of the most underrated guys in MLB right now.
Schmidt was excellent for the Yankees. Had close to 20 starts allowing 3 ER or less. He faded at the end of the season and had a few horrendous starts, which is why his ERA was a bit high.
King reminds me a bit of Kevin Brown. He throws more breaking balls than Brown did, but he has similar movement and sink on his fastball. Yanks are in decent shape with their rotation for 2024.
Correction, he actually had 27 games allowing 3ER or less. Had a few stinkers where he allowed 8,7 and 5 ER. Also didn’t throw a lot of innings because Boone often pulled him after 5 innings.
He only had 5 games with 6 or more IPs, so the 3 ERs thing is meaningless. He put his team in position to win maybe 14 times, and lose maybe 14 times. And 3 outings where he pitched to an ERA of 4.50. Schmidt is by no means a bad pitcher, but right now, nothing special.
You just described what a mid-rotation arm should be – put the team in position to win half of your starts. Your #1s and #2s about 70% of games. Schmidt was on an innings limit so it’s yet to be determined what his ceiling is once he gets a longer leash on IP/9.
This was Schmidts first full season after being a potential top-10 pick who fell because of an injury. There is a long way to go, obviously, but the inherent talent combined with further experience provides hope that he can be a very good mid-rotation pitcher imo.
I’m not concerned about the Yankees pitching. That got slammed this year with injuries and under performance, but they’re correctable. Performance wise, they should be more similar to what they did in 2021-22. They also build good bullpens seemingly out of vapor. Their problem is offense and fundamentals with the position players.
That has to be the easiest decision they’ll face this offseason.
File this one in the “Well, duh!” category.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how we go 150-plus innings,” King says.
We, huh? Who else will be throwing the ball with you and how is that supposed to work?
His second self? (Disassociative Identity Disorder)
That would be the royal we.
He has a mouse in his pocket.
Perhaps he identifies as “non-binary”.
Cashman and Boone, Boone and Cashman…..the biggest problem that faces the Yankees. If Hal fails again, then there will be less people in the stands….a no brainer which is just up Hal’s alley.
Any chance the Yanks trade Cole this winter?
Full NTC aside, why?
That would be a no.
Only if they plan to lose 10-15 more games and rebuild. The guy has continued dominating since he joined them, why would they trade him??
’25 Yankees rotation: Cole, Yamamoto, Ohtani, Rodon, and King? It ain’t my money.
This is hysterical!
I’ll eat my own hat if the Yankees end up with either Ohtani or Yamamoto. They’ve already got Stanton locked into DH for the next several years since he can barely walk anymore.
The lineup is so underwhelming that they need to be putting most of their remaining budget there..
My guess is they’re planning to push very hard though for Roki Sasaki and Murakami in a few more years. Until then, I’d be absolutely stunned if they end up with Yamamoto.
Shota Imanaga might be a decent, lower-cost pickup, but again, the Yanks need to be putting payroll into finding a LF, CF, and 3B at the very least.
No way they get Ohtani but they are reported to be hard after Yamamoto. I’d give it about a 20% chance on Yamamoto.
@Joe: If Yamamoto is willing to come to NYC expect the Mets to push hard. Mets also need pitching more than the Yanks, imo. Pitching is not the Yankees problem so if they’re willing to spend a lot of money this offseason (which is what Yamamoto will cost), they’re much better served chasing hitting.
What’s your rotation for 2024?
Cole, Rodon, King, Cortez and Schmidt as it stands now.
Joe, they’re definitely interested in him, but the day Cashman was there for his perfect game, so too were the Mets, Phillies, Padres, Giants, and Royals (and supposedly several others). A start or two earlier, the Cubs, Dodgers, DBacks, Rangers, and Tigers had reps there to watch him. It’s no exaggeration that nearly the entire league has scouted him at this point.
All that is to say is that while the Yanks are certainly very interested in him, so too are many other teams. While I think he’s far more likely to end up on the west coast, the Mets are reportedly some of the most serious potential bidders thus far. Between all those big spenders (who have a lot more money to play with)–and the Yanks bigger question marks in the field–I’d say it’s generous to give them even 10% odds.
20% may be a bit generous but I’d definitely put it at least 10%.
@YBC-Take Ohtani out and put in Schmidt. Ohtani is likely signing with the Dodgers, even if they lose to the Diamondbacks he probably going there.
This is going to be an interesting gamble. In the past pitchers would be pitchers. Today all of them try to throw as hard as they can. This could end up like Rasmussen with Tampa. Looked good in the rotation until he blew out his arm the next season.
It is still worth the risk for the Yankees. They have a lot of money on the books and no really high quality pitching products in the system. They might be wise using some of their positional depth to built up behind Cole.
Drew Thorpe won prospect pitcher of the year, there’s a lot to like about Jhony Brito and Ian Hamilton and Chase Hampton looks solid. Hoping for improvement from Beeter and Warren.
I agree the Yankees need to make some moves but they need bats, not pitching.
Also slated to join the 2024 Yankee team =
JOE KING !!
I don’t get it
Michael King Plus Joe King
JOKING !!
Cole is the gold standard for the Yanks, everyone else has under performed.! Rodon, Cortes, Schmidt, and King won’t be good enough in the East next year. Thorpe gives the Yanks hope that they have a prospect that can be good in the rotation. You can make the case that the Yanks need both Yamamoto, and another solid starter. I would keep King in the pen.
Looks like King will have it his way. Errol Boone went up to him and bellowed: “you rule!!!!”
Trade andujar, delvi Garcia and florial for ohtani!
Unless you include Clint Frazier it will never get done.
Did they fire Cashman yet?
You’re like Bart Simpson at the chalkboard in The Simpsons opening theme song.
The next question I’ll be asking is “Did Hal sell the team yet?”
I probably give it 5-7 years before he does
Probably 2-3 more years of Cash
Why would the Steinbrenners sell the cash cow?
Cash cow is drying up. You gotta be legit WS contenders every year for the Yankee money to continue to pour in like it has for almost 30 years. Pretty soon the numbers will flip and what Steinbrenner is making annually won’t be able to stand up to whatever insane offer he gets to sell the team.
All the AL east hype all year long and yet not a single win when it mattered most
No mention of German? They haven’t cut him loose yet have they?
He is eligible for arbitration but also likely, I would think, to be non-tendered. So I think he’s gone, but not yet.
I may be an old-school, out of date fan, but I don’t personally know a baseball universe where a guy who gave up more hits than innings pitched, had a 1.35 WHIP, averaged less than 5 innings a start and had a 4.64 ERA “had a decent” season. That’s a stretch…
Another person,battered by the ageist. The.kids were.told.by their hippy hopped.up.teachers they are.better.than us…
They are NOT. Most of.them have no.clue other than.to call people names.like racist……
How can they learn to repsect.their elders if their elders self-efface?
They don’t even know what Morris code is
…