Left-handed reliever John King and the Miami Marlins have reached an agreement on a one-year, $1.5 million contract, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.
The 31-year-old southpaw joins Miami on a fully guaranteed big league deal after being non-tendered by the St. Louis Cardinals this past November. King had become a consistent presence in the Cardinals' bullpen over the last two seasons before hitting the open market as a free agent this winter.
King is coming off a 2025 campaign in which he registered a 4.66 ERA and a 1.63 WHIP over 51 appearances. While his traditional numbers dipped slightly from a standout 2024 season—where he posted a 2.85 ERA across 60 innings—King remains one of the premier groundball induction specialists in the majors. In 2024, he ranked in the 98th percentile of all MLB pitchers in groundball percentage, a skill that often makes him a preferred option for inducing double plays.
The signing provides the Marlins with veteran depth from the left side as they continue to reshape their relief corps. King originally debuted with the Texas Rangers in 2020 before being traded to St. Louis in 2023 as part of the deal for Jordan Montgomery.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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