The San Diego Padres re-signed a pitcher on Monday according to a team press release. No, it was not Michael King, instead it was Kyle Hart, who agreed to terms on a one-year, $1 million deal for the 2026
season that includes a club option for 2027.
Much of the Friar Faithful were hoping to see King agreeing to a deal to remain in San Diego, and that may still happen, but not yet. The left-handed Hart is an arm that can be used as a starter or out of the bullpen. He made the 2025 roster as a starter out of Spring Training, but also spent part of the season in El Paso with the Padres’ Triple A affiliate before returning to the MLB roster at the end of the year.
Hart finished 2025 with a record of 3-3 in six starts and made 20 appearances overall. He finished with a 5.86 ERA after joining the Padres following a 2024 stint with the NC Dinos of the Korean Baseball Organization.
The San Diego rotation currently consists of Nick Pivetta, Joe Musgrove, Randy Vasquez, JP Sears and Hart. Matt Waldron is also expected to try to earn his way back into the starting rotation after spending all of 2025 in El Paso.
