Michael King has been the one constant in a Padres rotation that has spent much of the first half in pieces. He has taken the ball 19 times for San Diego, more than any other National League pitcher, and his 108.1 innings rank fifth in the league.
The results have been solid without crossing into elite territory: a 6-7 record, a 3.41 ERA and a 4.03 FIP. King’s own standard is clearly higher than that.
“Pretty good," he told MLB.com's A.J. Cassavell, "is not good enough.”
That blunt self-evaluation stands out because the Padres have needed every bit of stability King has provided. Nick Pivetta has been on the injured list since April.
Lucas Giolito last pitched on June 23. Joe Musgrove has not started a game since spring training.
With that kind of rotation turnover, San Diego’s 46-46 record through Wednesday looks tied as much to the pitching situation as to anything the offense has or hasn’t done.
King, though, has hardly been the problem. In fact, he may be the last Padres starter who should be taking a critical tone about his own first half. Of the other five San Diego pitchers who have started at least five games - Giolito, Germán Márquez, Griffin Canning, Randy Vásquez and Walker Buehler - none has posted a better-than-average ERA.
Manager Craig Stammen made it clear how much the club leans on him.
“He wants to never give up a run ever in his entire life,” Stammen said. “… Michael has fought through everything this year.
He has taken the ball for us every single time. He’s one guy that we look forward to in the rotation.
We know we have a really good shot when he’s our starting pitcher, and he’s pitched really well for the majority of the season.
"He’s had a couple outings - as everybody does throughout the year - that don’t go his way, but he’s definitely our number one and the guy we look to to get us on track.”
King’s season has had both the highs and the rough patch that can shape a pitcher’s first half. He delivered seven scoreless innings at home against the Dodgers in May, then did it again against the Braves in June.
But between those two gems came his toughest stretch of the year. Over five starts from May 24 through June 16, he went 0-4 with a 6.41 ERA.
For King, the middle of the season felt like a slog.
“[It’s been] a grind,” King said. “I don’t know if there was a single game where I felt like I had everything.
So hopefully they come in bunches in the second half. There were some decent results in games where I felt like I didn’t have anything.
"But ultimately it’s got to be a lot better second half.”
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