Yankees Rumors: Fan favorite starter already emerging as possible free agent reunion

The New York Yankees paid a hefty price when they executed December 2023's Juan Soto trade, but if you enjoy getting to the World Series, it was well worth it. Now, this upcoming offseason, they might be planning to pay a different form of hefty price to undo some of the collateral damage.

Both Michael King and Randy Vásquez have emerged as some form of rotation mainstays since arriving in San Diego prior to the 2024 season. Vásquez, who's just starting to really find his footing, is under long-term team control. King? An east coaster who didn't choose his California fate, and who somehow isn't safe from trade rumors this summer, even while the Padres surge? Not so much; he'll enter free agency as soon as his 2025 season ends.

According to MLB insider Jon Heyman's latest notes, the buzz connecting King to his former team, the Yankees, is already beginning to boil.

As Heyman plainly noted in his Friday column, "King, an East Coast guy (he’s from Rhode Island) who lived in Manhattan and whose wife is from Paramus, N.J., is a great candidate to return to the Yankees as a free agent." Editor's Note: Agreed!

Yankees could target former friend Michael King in MLB free agency, per insider Jon Heyman

Once upon a time in, oh, February, the Yankees thought they were done investing heavily in their rotation - but things change quickly in this game. Losing Gerrit Cole to Tommy John surgery cost the Yankees an ace for 1.5 years (and who knows what he'll be like when he returns?). Both Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt have predictably suffered early bruises, too.

Suddenly, investing in Max Fried no longer feels like a luxury. The same thing will occur when premium arms make themselves available to the Yankees next winter. New York might think any dalliance with King is an unnecessary impediment to upgrading their offense, but their long-term pitching outlook doesn't seem nearly as complete as it once did. It would be phenomenal to actually get a chance to take the pressure off Carlos Rodón rather than just proposing it.

King, who's currently 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA and 24 Ks in 22 1/3 innings, would be too perfect a fit to even quantify using words, and will be entering his age-30/31 season on whatever deal he signs. The Yankees should think long and hard about making this reunion a reality - and then they should do it.