The New York Yankees are definitely in need of starting pitching. No one would deny that. Their rotation has been among the MLB’s worst this season, and Gerrit Cole won’t be walking through that door to save it. Throw in the fact that Luis Gil may be sidelined well into the summer, and you can understand why Yankees fans are getting so anxious.

Of course, New York can always repair its pitching problems by swinging a trade or two, and some popular names have surfaced as potential candidates. While Miami Marlins star Sandy Alcantara is widely viewed as the top potential target, the Yankees have also been linked to San Diego Padres right-hander—and former Yankee—Michael King.

King has two years remaining on his deal until he hits free agency, and with the Padres bleeding money, some have wondered if San Diego may aim to cash in on the 29-year-old now when his value is at its peak.

Here’s the problem, though: the Padres have been the best team in baseball thus far in 2025, and it’s thanks much in part to a dynamic starting rotation led by Dylan Cease, Yu Darvish and King.

King has gone 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA over his first four starts, which includes a complete-game shutout. That’s something you very rarely see in a modern MLB where pitchers scarcely make it through the sixth inning. King is no fluke, either, as he registered a 2.91 ERA while racking up 201 strikeouts over 173.2 frames in his debut campaign with San Diego last year.

The Padres acquired King in the trade that sent Juan Soto to New York, and there is very little doubt that he was the gem of that package for the Friars.

As long as San Diego is contending (and it’s hard to see the Padres falling out of it), it will have absolutely no reason to trade King, meaning the Yankees will have to look elsewhere.

Fortunately, there should be other options for the Bronx Bombers. Heck, Alcantara may be one, even though the Marlins have actually been pretty competitive themselves in the early going . But the chances of New York actually acquiring King are slim to none.

Make sure to come back for more analysis on everything sports at ViralSportsNews.net. Also, give us a follow on NewsBreak