What Michael King's Season-Ending Injury Means For the Yankees

King is expected to miss the rest of the 2022 season with a fracture in his right elbow.

Just over two months ago, on May 19 in Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Yankees right-hander Chad Green threw his final pitch of the season, exiting the game with right forearm tightness.

A few days later, Green underwent Tommy John surgery.

On Friday night, in the same ballpark, New York lost another one of their key relievers for the rest of the year.

Right-hander Michael King has a fracture in his right elbow, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

As soon as King threw his fateful pitch—a breaking ball in the dirt with one out in the eighth inning—it was clear something was wrong. The right-hander bounced gingerly off the mound, favoring his right arm as he instantaneously motioned to the Yankees' dugout.

Michael King leaves the game after throwing this pitch. Does not look great pic.twitter.com/cfkt8kJ449

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) July 23, 2022

Yankees manager Aaron Boone solemnly told reporters in the clubhouse after the win that he didn't want to speculate about the severity of the injury, revealing that King's right elbow was being evaluated. Later in the evening, Sherman reported that King had a season-ending diagnosis. More information will surely follow on Saturday morning.

“He’s been one of the best pitchers in the league,” Boone said. “I hope and pray the best for King.”

To put it bluntly, losing King is a disastrous blow for New York and this club's pitching staff. 

That might seem like an overreaction considering the Yankees are 35 games above .500, well on their way to a division title. If you follow this team on a daily basis, however, you know just how instrumental King has been to what the Yankees have accomplished to this point. 

Not having him for the playoffs is nothing short of devastating.

King, 27, has blossomed in a high-leverage role out of the 'pen this year, working as a setup man to closer Clay Holmes while often shutting opposing lineups down for multiple innings at a time. 

Factoring in his three outs on Friday, King has a 2.29 ERA this year across 51 innings (34 appearances). He entered play on Friday with the second-highest fWAR (1.7) among all relievers in baseball this year, a blatant snub from the 2022 All-Star Game.

Aaron Boone with more on the pitching performances tonight, the Yankees 7-6 win, and Michael King's apparent injury in the 8th. pic.twitter.com/zSBC5UE1Tt

— YES Network (@YESNetwork) July 23, 2022

Losing King hurts even more when you consider the other question marks in New York's bullpen. 

Other than Holmes, who can you trust with the game on the line?

Aroldis Chapman and Jonathan Loáisiga continue to struggle since returning from the injured list, Miguel Castro was recently placed on the IL and again, Green is out for the year. On the bright side, rookie Ron Marinaccio is nearing his return from a stint on the 15-day injured list with shoulder inflammation. He's been spectacular in 2022, but his presence won't make up for King's absence. 

New York has less than two weeks before the trade deadline to attack the open market and try to bolster their bullpen. If they stick with the internal route, that means more high-leverage innings for Chapman and Loáisiga, who will need to step it up and recapture their old form. The pressure is on for other relievers like Wandy Peralta and Albert Abreu to pitch deeper into games as well.

Bottom line, King is irreplaceable. Only a perfect combination of additions before the deadline and internal assets ascending into bigger roles can help this club weather the storm. 

MORE:

• Should Domingo Germán Continue to Get Starts in Yankees' Rotation?
• MLB Insider: Yankees Better Off With Juan Soto Than Aaron Judge
• Trades the Yankees Should Make to Prepare For Postseason Rematch With Astros

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