The Atlanta Braves urgently need to acquire a starting pitcher this offseason following the departures of Max Fried and Charlie Morton in free agency.
Atlanta had reportedly shown interest in free agent Jack Flaherty, but he recently reached an agreement with the Detroit Tigers.
Mark Powell of FanSided recently suggested that the Braves could shift their focus from Jack Flaherty to Padres ace Michael King, who is reportedly available for trade this offseason.
Mark Powell noted that instead of pushing for a trade for Dylan Cease—who has only one year remaining on his contract—Atlanta could pursue Michael King, who is also reportedly available. However, according to FanSided MLB Insider Robert Murray, King’s contract structure makes it more likely that San Diego will keep him beyond this season, meaning the Padres may not be eager to trade him.
King delivered an outstanding performance last season and likely would have received more recognition in a larger market. Over 30 starts, he posted a 13-9 record with a 2.95 ERA and a career-best 4.2 WAR. Acquiring that level of production via trade won’t come cheap, but it could be a worthwhile move for the Braves, who are in need of front-end pitching as they wait for Spencer Strider to recover from injury.
With Flaherty off the market, King remains one of the top pitchers available. While the Padres may be less inclined to trade him after securing a mutual option for 2026, he is still a target worth considering for the Braves.
Regardless, Atlanta must add one or two starting pitchers before Opening Day to avoid significant struggles at the start of the season.
