Michael King has been one of baseball’s more dominant relief pitchers this season, but even his breakout campaign thus far wasn’t enough to get him to Los Angeles next week.
The New York Yankees had six players named to the All-Star Game over the weekend, but King was not one of them. This season he has a 5-1 record with a 2.28 ERA and 0.97 WHIP, while his strikeout rate ranks in the top four percent of the league.
Granted, he plays a unique role. What can be boiled down most simply to “he’s a middle reliever”, the Yankees regularly use him for one or two higher-leverage innings every time they call his number. So, while he might not have the ironclad case that someone like Clay Holmes did, it would not have been ridiculous for him to get a nod.
But he plans to go to his girlfriend’s beach house during the break instead, and all the while he won’t be sweating the fact that he’s not at Dodger Stadium.
“I had a lot of teammates and coaches tell me that I should expect to go,” King said during an appearance on the “Toeing The Slab with David Cone” podcast.. “I’m looking around at this league, and there are some stud relievers and starters and everything. I really had no expectations, I think it’s incredible that six of my best friends, teammates and everything are able to represent the Yankees. I’m just cheering them on.
“I know (Aaron Boone) said that there’s still chances, because (Gerrit) Cole said he’s not going to pitch in the All-Star Game so there are still the alternates that could do it. So, we’ll see about that, but I’m taking it as a win-win. I either get three days off and get to chill at a beach, or I get to go to my first All-Star Game, which would be really cool. I’m happy either way, and I’m just really happy for our six guys.”
Although King won’t be joining them, the Yankees’ have more All-Star nominees than any other team. Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Gerrit Cole, Nestor Cortez and Holmes all will be going, as will Jose Trevino, who was selected as a reserve.
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