Michael King, Padres starter, dominates Braves with 12 strikeouts to open Wild Card Series
The Padres took an early 1-0 lead against the Braves in the Wild Card Series. It was possible because one of their star pitchers played a key role in the victory. Michael King, who just wrapped up his first regular season with the Padres, was exceptional in a 4-0 shutout on Tuesday night against Atlanta.
Throughout the 2024 season, Michael King has been San Diego’s No. 2 pitcher behind Dylan Cease. He came to the Padres after the 2023 season in a trade with the Yankees.
In his first career postseason start on Tuesday, Michael King delivered a brilliant performance. So much so, it gave San Diego a crucial win as they head into Game 2 of their playoff journey.
In Game 1 of the Padres vs. Braves Wild Card Series, Michael King pitched seven scoreless innings, giving up only five hits while striking out 12. He didn’t walk a single batter.
The Padres, having won 93 games in the regular season, secured the top NL Wild Card spot. With a solid pitching lineup led by Cease and King, they entered the postseason with strong momentum.
Michael King took the mound for the Padres’ first playoff game and gave everything he had to secure the win. Moreover, he hit double-digit strikeouts by the end of the sixth inning, igniting the San Diego crowd.
Even by the seventh inning, Michael King showed no signs of slowing down, as his sharp pitching movement earned him his 11th and 12th strikeouts of the night.
The 29-year-old made history as the first pitcher to record 12 strikeouts, allowing no runs or walks in his postseason debut, according to MLB.
Here’s a complete breakdown of King’s performance on Tuesday:
| Innings pitched | Hits | Runs | Earned Runs | Walks | Strikeouts | Pitches | Strikes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 89 | 65 |
Meanwhile, the Braves are missing their 2024 Cy Young Award frontrunner, Chris Sale, for this Wild Card series due to back spasms that flared up before a game against the Mets. Sale’s absence has left rookie AJ Smith-Shawver in a tough spot. Smith-Shawver gave up three runs and four hits in just 1 1/3 innings.
And finally, with their victory over the Braves in Game 1, the Padres were the only home team out of four to win their playoff opener on Tuesday.
Picture Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images
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