JUAN BY A MILE
Ex-Yankee King: Padres got best of Bombers in Soto trade
Michael King called Juan Soto “one of the top three players in the game right now,’’ but the former Yankees right-hander — who was among the group dealt to San Diego in exchange for the superstar outfielder in December — believes his new team got the better of the deal.
“I continue to praise [Padres general manager] A.J. Preller and be confident in saying I feel like the Padres won the trade,’’ King said by phone from San Diego on Monday. “I feel like the talent we’ve gotten, I was shocked to see the Yankees part with that many people. Obviously, it’s Juan Soto, so you have to give up a big package, but I was pumped to see who was coming with me to San Diego. I know they’re gonna contribute this year and for years to come.”
King, coming off a terrific final season in The Bronx, was sent to the Padres along with longtime catcher Kyle Higashioka and a trio of young pitchers: Randy Vasquez, Jhony Brito and prospect Drew Thorpe.
That’s what it took for the Yankees to land Soto, the 25-year-old star who will provide the Yankee offense with a superb left-handed bat to go along with Aaron Judge.
Soto and the Yankees agreed to a record $31.5 million deal in his final season of arbitration before he’s due to hit free agency.
He’ll no doubt provide a much-needed spark to a Yankee offense that struggled throughout last season, in part due to Judge’s toe injury.
In acquiring Soto and fellow outfielder Trent Grisham, though, the Yankees parted ways with much of their pitching depth — something that was already lacking following other trades in recent seasons.
And King is excited to see not just what he can do as a full-time member of a rotation with the Padres, but what Brito and Vasquez can do — as well as potentially Thorpe.
“I don’t know Thorpe too well, but I’ve watched video and you look at his stats and you know he’s gonna be a stud,’’ King said. “And the ceilings of Brito and Vasquez are through the roof. I’ve seen them develop this past year and their stuff is incredible.”
King’s move to San Diego, where he’s already spending time working with his new coaching staff, has been part of a hectic offseason for the 28-year-old.
King got married in New York on Dec. 16, barely a week after the trade to the Padres.
Now that he’s starting to settle into his new surroundings, King is embracing the challenge.
“I’ll probably get a better chance to be a starting pitcher, which is what I’ve wanted to do,’’ said King, who started 19 games over parts of four seasons with the Yankees — including nine this past season.
He was limited by various injuries, including a fractured elbow that cut short his 2022 season, which kept King on an innings limit, but those restrictions should be gone with the Padres.
“I’m excited to start a new chapter in my career as a starter,’’ King said. “I’ve had those conversations with [the Padres] and that’s what they expect out of me and that’s what I want them to expect out of me. I’m going to continue to pitch with a chip on my shoulder.”
King has developed more of a four-pitch repertoire over the previous two seasons and the results followed, with a 2.29 ERA in 51 innings in 2022 and a 2.75 ERA in 104 2/₃ innings a year ago.
That workload was King’s highest since he threw 161 ¹/₃ innings in the minors in 2018, so durability will be a question mark, but if all goes well, he’ll be seeing the Yankees — and possibly facing Soto and Judge — when the Yankees visit San Diego in May.
“They’re gonna be an exciting duo to watch this whole year,’’ King said. “Soto, as a lefty in the lineup, can protect Judge and they’re gonna be dynamic. It’s always fun to go up against the best.”