New Marlins reliever John King explains why Miami’s late-season surge and winning vision convinced him to sign a one-year deal.
The Miami Marlins didn’t win over left-hander John King with money alone -- they won him over with momentum.
Speaking in Jupiter after reporting to camp, King made it clear that Miami’s strong finish in 2025 mattered in his decision. From June 13 on, the Marlins were one of baseball’s best teams -- and that late-season surge didn’t go unnoticed around the league.
"It’s a really exciting young group," King told MLB.com's Christina De Nicola. "Their vision of wanting to win really enticed me to be a part of this."
For a 31-year-old reliever coming off a non-tender from the St. Louis Cardinals, this wasn’t just about landing a roster spot. It was about fit and belief. King mentioned the organization’s interest in him throughout the process as well as the clarity of its direction under president of baseball operations Peter Bendix and manager Clayton McCullough.
And for King, the timing could not be better.
King is coming off an uneven 2025 season, posting a 4.66 ERA after a career-best 2.85 ERA campaign in 2024. But his explanation was revealing.
He admitted he got “behind in the count” too often and drifted away from what makes him effective — his sinker-heavy approach. In an effort to generate more swing-and-miss, he experimented more heavily with a four-seamer and curveball. The results? Inconsistent comfort and diminished effectiveness.
"I wasn’t very comfortable with it,”"King told MLB.com. "I worked hard this offseason to dial those in, but also not get away from who I am."
King doesn’t need to become a strikeout artist. His identity is built on elite ground-ball rates -- landing in the 98th percentile the last two seasons. His sinker/changeup combination suppresses damage and limits home runs. His career ERA+ of 111 reflects a pitcher who has consistently been above league average, even without gaudy strikeout totals.
What Miami is offering isn’t a reinvention. It’s refinement.
McCullough emphasized that King "fills up the strike zone, keeps the ball on the ground, limits damage." But he also hinted at helping him generate "a little more miss versus left."
The Marlins’ bullpen has talent, but also uncertainty. Andrew Nardi is returning from injury. Cade Gibson exceeded expectations, but carries underlying metric questions. King offers something neither of these relievers fully does: durability and a track record.
He also arrives motivated.
Being non-tendered can serve as a wake-up call. And King’s comments suggest self-awareness. Mechanical adjustments, pitch mix balance, comfort level. These are fixable variables.
If Miami can help him rediscover the version of himself that posted a sub-3.00 ERA in 2024 while sharpening his secondary weapons, this $1.5 million investment could turn into surplus value.
More importantly, King sounds aligned with the clubhouse culture the Marlins are trying to build.
He didn’t talk about proving critics wrong. He talked about joining a group that wants to win.
For a bullpen that may decide close games in 2026, that mindset could matter just as much as the sinker.
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