THE APEX TIMES
Michael King indicates openness to returning to Padres after NLDS run with Brewers
The right-hander, who helped keep the Padres within reach in the National League Division Series, says he is willing to pick up his player option for 2027 while exploring his next steps with San Diego after Milwaukee’s postseason series win.
Michael King’s postseason storyline has quickly shifted from the field to the offseason. After the Brewers sent the Padres home in the NLDS, the right-hander said he would be open to returning to San Diego, according to a report from MLB Trade Rumors published October 9, 2026.
King’s impact was felt in Milwaukee’s series against the Padres, where his ability to limit damage at key moments helped shape the Brewers’ path through the NLDS. In Game 2, he worked five innings, allowing one run, a stretch that kept San Diego from turning early chances into a decisive jump ahead.
Two days later, he returned with the same focus and picked up late relief responsibility. In Game 3, the report says King came back and recorded a two-inning save, underscoring his value in high-leverage innings when the series tightened.
With the Padres facing Milwaukee again in the next matchup, the report also indicates King was reportedly available for Game 4, though the piece frames his overall postseason availability and influence as part of why San Diego could again consider him when planning beyond the 2026 season. The essential point is that, even after the Brewers eliminated the Padres, King’s effectiveness against them remained a central thread.
Beyond the NLDS itself, King’s offseason posture appears to revolve around contractual options. MLB Trade Rumors reports that he is interested in picking up his player option for 2027, a detail that matters because options can shape the timeline and leverage of both player and team in offseason negotiations.
That combination, a demonstrated ability to handle pressure against the team he could return to, plus expressed interest in his 2027 option, creates a clearer picture for what comes next. For the Padres, the decision is not about one postseason outing, but about whether King’s late-inning profile and ability to navigate multiple game states fit their longer-term bullpen and pitching depth plans.
For Milwaukee, King’s openness to returning to San Diego adds another layer to the series’ afterlife. Even with the Brewers winning the postseason matchup, the report suggests King’s relationship and future interest are not ending with the loss for San Diego, leaving baseball’s usual offseason domino effects to play out in the coming weeks.
What to watch next is confirmation. A strong postseason performance and an option interest can be meaningful indicators, but MLB is still a transaction-driven league. The next step would be whether either club publicly clarifies King’s intention or whether additional reporting reveals the level of mutual interest between King and the Padres as the market starts to form.
Why It Matters
- A returning starter-to-bullpen swing can be significant for postseason-ready pitching depth, especially for a team that relies on high-leverage innings late in games.
- The Padres would be evaluating whether King’s demonstrated late-series effectiveness against them translates into repeatable bullpen value across a full season.
- For the Brewers, the offseason planning question becomes whether King’s future intention influences how they think about pitching continuity and depth beyond 2026.
- Option timing can affect negotiation leverage, making King’s interest in 2027 a key detail for both teams’ planning.
Key Facts
- Milwaukee defeated San Diego in the NLDS, and Michael King was a part of the Brewers’ pitching effort versus the Padres.
- In Game 2 of the NLDS, King worked five innings and allowed one run, according to the October 9, 2026 report.
- In Game 3, King returned and recorded a two-inning save, as reported by MLB Trade Rumors.
- The report says King was reportedly available for Game 4 as well.
- MLB Trade Rumors reports that King is open to returning to the Padres and is interested in picking up his player option for 2027.