Outlook Michael King
Michael King looks to snap out of a brief skid in a favorable home matchup against the Mets.
Michael King remains locked in as the top starter for a Padres rotation heavily depleted by injuries to Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, and Nick Pivetta. King has hit a rough patch lately, posting a 7.83 ERA and 1.63 WHIP over his last two starts while the second-place Padres (32-28) struggle on a four-game losing streak.
Despite the brief skid, King's overall 2026 numbers are highly encouraging, boasting a 3.11 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. Our models project a strong finish with a 3.47 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 167 strikeouts over 161.0 innings, suggesting this recent cold stretch is merely a fluke rather than a permanent regression.
For the remainder of the week, King is scheduled for a single home start on June 5th against the Mets. He will face Christian Scott, who carries a 2.97 ERA but a vulnerable 1.38 WHIP, making this a prime bounce-back spot for the right-hander. Verdict: Start.
Updated 3 days ago
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Outlook Dustin May
Dustin May has found his elite strikeout form, but can be benched for the weekend with his weekly work complete.
Dustin May is thriving for the third-place Cardinals (32-28), recently flirting with a no-hitter on May 27. May slots in as the number three starter in the rotation, racking up 25 strikeouts over his last 17.3 innings. He has settled in beautifully, boasting a stellar 0.98 WHIP over his last 14 days.
May's recent 13.01 K/9 is a massive jump from our projection of 100 strikeouts over 139.0 innings. While his 3.99 ERA over the last month is highly sustainable, his career metrics suggest some minor WHIP regression could occur if his walks tick back up. Still, his elite velocity makes him a rest-of-season breakout candidate.
Looking at the schedule, the Cardinals host the Reds for three games starting Friday. However, May already pitched on Tuesday against Texas, striking out nine over 5.2 innings. With no remaining games scheduled for him this week, he can be safely benched. Verdict: Sit.
Updated 3 days ago
