ARLINGTON — Michael King is returning to form as a crown jewel of the Yankees bullpen.
After struggling with his velocity and effectiveness to start the year, the right-hander continues to string together strong outings as he becomes further removed from the right elbow stress fracture that ended his 2022 season early.
King sports a 1.72 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 15.2 innings this season after recording the last seven outs of Thursday’s 4-2 win over the Texas Rangers. He didn’t allow a hit during the outing as he picked up his first save of the season.
“I’ve been feeling a lot better,” King said afterward.
The 27-year-old emerged as a dominant late-inning reliever in 2022, going 6-3 with a 2.29 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 51 innings before undergoing surgery last July.
His 2023 season began with two rocky outings in which he allowed a total of eight hits and two runs over three innings, with his fastball coming in slower than the 96 mph he averaged last year. Earlier this month, King said he may be in need of a “quick mechanical change.”
King’s fastball is averaging 94 mph for the season, but he’s allowed just one run and seven hits across 12.2 innings over his last six appearances.
King says Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake told him Thursday his fastball had “pretty good life” on it. He ended the game with a 95 mph sinker to strike out Leody Taveras.
The reliever is happy to be filling an important role for the team — regardless of which innings he pitches.
“I wouldn’t say that there’s anything extra in terms of adrenaline or wants or needs by me,” King said. “I’m just kind of going out there and giving them as many pitches or innings that I can.”
In Thursday’s game, King relieved Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, who improved to 5-0 after allowing two runs in 6.2 innings against the Rangers.
“Mike’s been great all year,” Cole said. “Regardless of his stuff, if he’s able to execute pitches and locate and he’s available for us, he’s always going to throw up a competitive at-bat and he’s always going to throw competitive pitches. I think he’s got a lot of moxy when it comes to late in the games, and he’s a guy that we trust regardless of what his [velocity] or whatever it is because he’s just a good pitcher.”
King’s re-emergence is especially welcome in a bullpen ravaged by injuries. Jonathan Loaisaga has been on the injured list since early April with right elbow inflammation and came out of a throwing session this week feeling “pretty sore,” manager Aaron Boone said.
Lou Trivino is receiving a second opinion on an injured right elbow that’s prevented him from pitching at all this season, and newly re-signed Tommy Kahnle is also yet to make an appearance in 2023 due to right bicep tendinitis.
The Yankees as a whole are struggling with injuries, with starting pitchers Carlos Rodon, Luis Severino and Frankie Montas all missing extended time and lineup regulars Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Josh Donaldson and Harrison Bader also dealing with ailments.
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