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The San Diego Padres may be in the thick of the NL West playoff race, but reinforcements are coming — and one of them just spoke with authority. Michael King, who’s been sidelined since May 18th with a nerve impingement in his right shoulder, made it clear this week, he’s not waiting around for the calendar to dictate his return.
In a piece by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, King gave an emphatic update after his first full bullpen session in nearly two months. He threw 25 pitches Thursday afternoon, wearing his full uniform and hitting 91 mph on the radar gun.
“I’ll be back well before that,” he said confidently. “That would be late.”
King didn’t commit to a public timeline, but his words and actions made one thing clear — he's pushing aggressively to rejoin the Padres rotation sooner than expected. The bullpen session was originally scheduled as a “touch and feel,” but King turned it up.
“This one was supposed to be a touch and feel,” the starting pitcher also told Acee, adding. “But I definitely made it more of a bullpen, just to speed things up. Because I’d like to progress.”
That urgency reflects what the 30-year-old reliever turned starter called an “aggressive buildup,” even revealing he created his own rehab program before the medical staff. That plan includes bullpen sessions, potential minor-league rehab starts, and a push to return long before the team's bobblehead night honoring him on August 20th.
Before his injury, King had been one of the most consistent arms in the Padres rotation, posting a 4–2 record with a 2.59 ERA and 64 strikeouts across 55.2 innings. He was especially dominant in April, going 4-1 with a 1.50 ERA and 43 strikeouts over six appearances, a stretch that helped anchor a Padres staff still searching for stability. Since his absence, San Diego has shuffled starters to stay afloat, but King’s return could solidify the rotation just in time for a late-season push.
Currently at 49-43 and just one game back of the San Francisco Giants for second in the division, the club is firmly in the NL West playoff race. With upcoming matchups against both San Francisco and Los Angeles, King's presence down the stretch could be the edge they need.
While juggling rehab and the impending arrival of his first child any day now, King continues to show he’s fully dialed in — physically, mentally, and emotionally. His bold words aren’t just about making a return; they’re a rallying cry to the clubhouse that this season still has plenty left to fight for.
