The Milwaukee Brewers won the World Series on Wednesday, which means the MLB offseason officially began on Thursday.
Star pitcher Michael King was among the first big-name players to declare free agency, declining his $28 million player option for 2027 with the San Diego Padres.
King, 31, has spent the last three seasons with the Padres, helping them reach the postseason all three years. He spent five seasons with the New York Yankees before that.
King has been one of the best pitchers in baseball over the last six seasons, first as a reliever and then as a starter. Last year, he went 12-10 with a 3.21 ERA and a 1.18 ERA over a career-high 185 innings.
Time will tell where King signs, but he profiles as a strong No. 2 or 3 starter wherever he ends up.