Michael King’s offseason began with the kind of decision that tells everyone exactly how a player views his own value. When the 30-year-old right-hander declined the Padres’ $22.025 million qualifying offer, it wasn’t posturing, but it was a clear signal that he believes the market has a multi-year deal waiting for him, and that this winter is the moment to chase it.He flashed a 3.44 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP, numbers that don’t shout ace but speak loudly in a league starving for reliable mid-rotation innings.The concern, of course, is durability. Shoulder and thoracic hiccups late in the year reminded everyone that King’s workload has always lived on a tightrope, and that any team betting on him is betting on training staff as much as mechanics.Still, this is a market where a 30-year-old with starter traits and strikeout ability doesn’t sit long. And when you look at roster needs around the league, three landing spots make more sense than the rest.#1. St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis just wrapped another season where the rotation felt like a weekly experiment.They desperately need a dependable arm who can slot into the middle of the order and reduce the bullpen strain. King fits that profile perfectly: not overpowering, but efficient; not flashy, but repeatable.For a club trying to rebuild its identity on the mound, he’s the type of signing that shifts the floor of the staff immediately.#2. Houston AstrosThe Astros need innings. That’s been the theme around their offseason conversations, and King checks that box without needing a huge long-term deal.Houston’s pitching model fits King’s approach, keep the ball down, get grounders, work quickly, and lean on a strong bullpen to finish games. He wouldn’t have to be the guy in Houston; he’d simply give them reliability in a rotation that has been stretched thin.And because the Astros are not chasing only the biggest names, King makes sense as a steady, affordable piece who fits their identity.#3. San Diego PadresThe qualifying offer rejection doesn’t automatically mean the relationship is over. The Padres know what they have in King, and continuity sometimes wins out when both sides need each other.San Diego’s rotation has more uncertainty than answers heading into 2026, and bringing back a familiar, comfortable arm on a multi-year but manageable deal is the type of move the front office has quietly favored in recent years.