Michael King has given the San Diego Padres exactly what they could ask for in October: stability, length and few mistakes. In two postseason starts, he is 1-0 with a 0.75 ERA over 12.0 innings, and his latest outing in Game 2 of the NLDS was another reminder of how well he has pitched on the biggest stage.
King left that game with a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning after throwing four perfect innings and extending another no-hit bid deep into the start. It was the kind of performance that fits the tone of his postseason so far, where he has consistently worked into games and kept the Padres in position to win.
Why King matters for San Diego
For the Padres, King’s October run is important because it gives them a starter who has already handled pressure in two different starts this postseason. Short series often come down to which pitchers can cover innings without handing over momentum, and King has done that through 12.0 innings of work.
The pattern also matches what he showed in the 2026 regular season. King finished 12-10 with a 3.21 ERA in 32 starts, a strong season that set the stage for him to carry more weight in October. He has now followed that with a postseason stretch that has been even sharper.
From Yankees prospect to Padres starter
King’s path helps explain why this matters. He was picked in the 12th round of the 2016 MLB Draft and spent his first five years in the majors with the New York Yankees. He is now in his third season with the San Diego Padres, and his latest outings are another sign of how well that move has worked for both sides.
The postseason results have also drawn attention beyond the Padres’ dugout. Sarah Langs noted that King is in rare company, while Jesse Rogers pointed out that he is the first pitcher with a no-hit bid of 6+ innings in a postseason game since Zac Gallen in Game 5 of the 2023 World Series. Those are the kinds of details that underscore just how well King has been pitching.
For Padres Game tomorrow, the takeaway is simple: San Diego has a starter who has already shown he can give them competitive, high-leverage innings in October. If King continues to pitch like this, the Padres’ rotation plans become a lot easier to trust.
