The Cubs have Michael King "on their radar." A consistent pitcher with postseason heroics, he offers a more affordable alternative to top free agents.
Earlier this month, we detailed the potential fit between Michael King and the Chicago Cubs here at Cubs Roundtable. We discussed the player, the contract, and the fit with the North Siders.
We then concluded that King might be higher on the front office’s free agent wish list. The right-hander likely wants a shorter three to four-year deal and won’t cost nearly as much as the other top available pitchers like Dylan Cease or Framber Valdez.
If you’d like to read through our thoughts, that story will be dropped below.
Since that story was published, we got news that Chicago appears to be interested in the former Padres pitcher. This potential interest in King is nothing new for the Cubs, considering the front office was reportedly in trade talks to acquire the right-hander last offseason.
Now, King is there for the taking.
According to Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic, the Cubs have King “on their radar.” That means the front office has some interest in going after the 30-year-old this offseason.
King’s numbers took a step back from the 2024 season, but he was still a consistent pitcher in 2025. He finished with a 3.44 ERA and 76 strikeouts across 73 ⅓ innings pitched. His best performance of the year came on April 13 when he threw a complete game shutout with eight strikeouts against the Colorado Rockies.
That’s the type of pitcher the Cubs would be getting in King. His strikeout rate (24.7%) and hard-hit rate (38.1%) ranked in the upper half of the league, and this is a pitcher the Cubs could rely on in the postseason.
In Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series in 2024, King delivered a gem against the Atlanta Braves in a 4-0 victory. He threw seven shutout innings with 12 strikeouts in that game.
Although Cease and Valdez have been thrown around as potential fits for the Cubs, King feels like a more likely target for the team. His market value on Spotrac is set at four years, $91 million, which is significantly less than what Cease (seven years, $184 million) and Valdez (six years, $199 million) are set to command in free agency.
Given that the Cubs have never given out a contract over $155 million to a pitcher, it’s hard to imagine them signing Cease/Valdez this winter. That’s why the front office’s interest in King feels legit.