The New York Mets’ offseason could be finished, but it would surprise no one if they added another starting pitcher.
Last season, the Mets not only got by with a rotation full of veteran reclamation projects, but thrived. This season, they’re at it again, with Luis Severino and José Quintana swapped out for Frankie Montas and Clay Holmes.
Though the Mets rotation could click if all goes according to plan, there’s certainly more room to accommodate a frontline starter.
Michael King of the San Diego Padres would be an ideal fit, coming off a seventh-place Cy Young finish in his first full season as a starter. The Padres might be willing to part with King, too–it’s just that the cost will be steep.
In a YouTube video published Saturday, content creator Robbie Hyde proposed a hypothetical trade that would bring King to New York in exchange for outfield prospect Drew Gilbert, starting pitcher David Peterson, and third baseman Brett Baty
“King had a great year after getting traded for Juan Soto last offseason,” Hyde said. “If (the Padres) don’t want to sign him to an extension, I say trade him now while his value is high.”
“I think the Mets would be a great fit. They’ve got a lot of depth here… (but) I feel like you need to bolster the top of their rotation (and) I think the Mets got some guys that they can send back and it won’t hurt them.”
Because the Padres and King settled on a team-friendly $7.75 million deal this season, San Diego is going to want a substantial package. Hyde’s proposal is certainly that, as Gilbert was the centerpiece of the Justin Verlander trade from 2023 and Peterson is a fairly proven piece of the rotation.
If the Mets are truly all-in on the 2025 season, though, they could justify this trade in a heartbeat. Plus, unlike the Padres, they have all the spending power they need to extend King if they like the fit.
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