Michael King moved up in Padres rotation

Ray gave up seven hits and a walk, but the only run he surrendered came after he was pulled in the fourth. His regular season is likely done at 13-8 with a 3.59 ERA. He’s 3-2 with a 5.02 ERA and an ugly 33/27 K/BB in 43 innings over his nine starts for the Padres. Still, that he bends but rarely breaks will probably keep him in the mix for postseason starts.

King tossed a scoreless first inning before things got away from him in the second. After loading the bases on two hits and a hit batter, he walked two runs in, then gave up a two-run single before getting out of the jam. He gave up one more run in the fourth inning on two hits. King was replaced to start the fifth at 81 pitches with five strikeouts, ending his day with a 3.21 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and a 159/70 K/BB ratio across 185 innings. The 31-year-old right-hander would be in line to end the regular season on Sunday against the Diamondbacks in San Diego unless the team has clinched a playoff spot.

Stammen’s remark serves as a warning to fantasy managers that King, who is starting Tuesday’s series opener against the Dodgers on short rest, isn’t a lock to start Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Diamondbacks this weekend. The 31-year-old will only get the ball if it’s a win-or-go-home situation that decides whether San Diego makes the postseason. Assuming that doesn’t happen, he’ll be pushed back to Game 1 of the Wild Card Series.

The Rockies really made him work in the sixth — he threw 34 of his 104 pitches in that inning alone — but they managed to score just once in the frame after Troy Johnston swung at a couple of ball fours with the bases loaded and two outs. King has won four straight starts, allowing only five runs in the process. He struck out six and generated 11 whiffs today. If the Padres leave their rotation alone, King will next pitch Wednesday against the Dodgers. They could make some changes, though, depending on how tight the race is.

Ray allowed three hits, walked two and struck out six to move to 3-2 with a 5.22 ERA in eight starts for the Padres and 13-8 with a 3.60 ERA overall. He’ll face the Dodgers next Tuesday and then maybe the D-backs in the regular season finale.

King surrendered a two-run homer to the red-hot Rafael Devers in the first inning. Shay Whitcomb then took him deep for a solo blast in the second. King would recover nicely, limiting the Giants to just two more hits as he pitched through the seventh inning, collecting four strikeouts. At one point, he had retired 14 straight batters. The 31-year-old right-hander will take a 3.03 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and a 148/66 K/BB ratio across 175 innings into a start against the Rockies in Colorado on Thursday.

It’s another subpar line for Ray, but it would have been a nice outing if former teammate Rafael Devers hadn’t hit a perfectly good curveball out to right for a grand slam in the fifth. Fortunately, Ray had a 7-1 lead at the time, and the bullpen finished the job after his departure. Ray will likely face the Rockies in Coors on Wednesday.

King allowed four hits, walked three and struck out three in taking down his former team. He’s worked 19 scoreless innings in his last three starts, lowering his ERA from 3.38 to 3.00 and probably adding millions to the contract he’s going to get after opting out of his deal with the Padres this winter. He’ll face the Giants next weekend.

Ray gave up five hits, walked four and struck out one. He fell to 11-8 with the loss. Ray had completed at least five innings with two runs allowed or less in his last three starts entering play Saturday. He has a 3.39 ERA despite a 4.89 xFIP this year. Ray is lined up to face his former team the Giants on the road next weekend.

Thankfully for King, the ballpark in Cincy managed to hold onto 407- and 409-foot flies from Sal Stewart and Elly De La Cruz early on. They were homers in 15 and 19 ballparks, respectively. King pitched seven scoreless innings last time out, but that wasn’t enough to get him a win against the Pirates. The Padres, though, were able to support him tonight and improve to 12-16 with their ace on the mound. King, who struck out six, moved to 9-9 with a 3.11 ERA. He’s set to face his old friends the Yankees on Sunday.