The Padres coasted to a 1-0 lead over the Braves in the Wild Card Series, and one of their aces played a massive role in the postseason win.
Michael King, who just completed his first regular season in a Padres uniform, dominated against Atlanta in a 4-0 shutout victory Tuesday night.
King has been San Diego's No. 2 starter behind Dylan Cease throughout the 2024 season. He joined the Padres after the 2023 season via a trade from the Yankees.
On Tuesday, King put together a masterful performance on the mound in his first career postseason start to give San Diego momentum heading into Game 2 of its 2024 playoff run.
Here's a look at King's final numbers against the Braves in Game 1, his path to San Diego as part of a blockbuster deal and the details of his contract.
MORE: 2024 MLB postseason schedule, bracket details
Michael King stats today
In Game 1 of the Padres vs. Braves matchup in the Wild Card Series, King went seven shutout innings, allowing just five hits while striking out 12. He also didn't walk a batter.
After San Diego won 93 games in the regular season, it claimed the top NL Wild Card spot. With a deep pitching staff led by Cease and King, the Padres have gone into the postseason with momentum on their side.
King got the ball for the Padres' first playoff matchup and did everything he could've to secure a win. He reached double-digit strikeouts to end the sixth inning as the San Diego crowd erupted.
MICHAEL KING
— MLB (@MLB) October 2, 2024
10 STRIKEOUTS#POSTSEASON DOMINATION 👑 pic.twitter.com/w8B1yNizvE
King clearly didn't lose any gas throughout the night either, as his movement on his pitches in the seventh inning helped him secure his 11th and 12th strikeouts.
Michael King's 11th and 12th Ks.
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 2, 2024
😳 pic.twitter.com/lDpladMVJr
The 29-year-old became the first pitcher to record 12 strikeouts, no runs and no walks allowed in his first postseason start, per MLB.
Here's a full look at King's performance against Atlanta on Tuesday.
| Innings pitched | Hits | Runs | Earned Runs | Walks | Strikeouts | Pitches | Strikes |
| 7.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 89 | 65 |
How Juan Soto trade brought Michael King to San Diego
In December 2023, King was included in the trade that brought superstar outfielder Juan Soto to the Yankees.
The seven-player deal saw New York acquire Soto and Trent Grisham, while the Padres acquired King, right-handed pitchers Jhony Brito and Randy Vasquez, pitching prospect Drew Thorpe and catcher Kyle Higashioka.
The deal has looked like a win-win thus far, as Soto posted 41 home runs and 109 RBIs in his first season as a Yankee while King finished the 2024 regular season with a 2.95 ERA and 201 strikeouts in 173.2 innings pitched for San Diego.
King wasn't the only piece from the Soto trade that made an impact for the Padres on Tuesday, though. Higashioka padded the Padres' lead with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.
KYLE HIGASHIOKA EXTENDS THE PADRES LEAD TO 4-0 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4V7HsReZCT
— ESPN (@espn) October 2, 2024
Thorpe, meanwhile, was traded away by the Padres just months after joining the franchise. San Diego included him in their package to the White Sox for Cease, who finished tied for third in MLB with 224 strikeouts this season.
The decision to trade Soto helped San Diego land its top two starting pitchers this season, Cease and King, along with its current starting catcher, Higashioka. While New York certainly isn't complaining after Soto posted a .989 OPS as the team won the AL East, its star outfielder will also be a free agent this offseason.
If Soto winds up leaving the Yankees, the Padres' long-term outlook from the original seven-player deal could be much better than New York's, with King playing a major role in San Diego's rotation.
Michael King contract
King, 29, had a salary of $3.15 million in 2024, per Sportrac. He is eligible for salary arbitration in 2025 and will be a free agent after that season.
