$7.75M Padres ace admits to using Trevor Bauer's technique
San Diego Padres starting pitcher, discussing the different ball grips in his arsenal, credited Trevor Bauer for his grip on on of his pitches. The $7.75 million man has been on fire for San Diego this season, making a mark as one of the best pitchers in the major leagues. While discussing the various grips he uses for his pitches, he admitted to using Bauer's thinking behind his sweeper.
Since making his MLB debut with the New York Yankees in 2019, Michael King has come a long way as a pitcher. Having started out as a relief pitcher in his early days in New York, he gradually made the shift to starting pitcher. After being traded to the San Diego Padres ahead of 2024, he has developed and is now showing his true potential as a pitcher.
As he continues his hot form in the MLB, King, on Monday's episode of Slab Lab, explained how he came up with the grip for his sweeper (from 4:40):
"I actually crank my middle finger, you can almost see how much fatter my middle finger is. This was actually a Trevor Bauer thing. I read that he wanted the ball to only be able to escape in one area and so, to not back up the sweeper.
"To me, having my middle finger that cranked and that on the outside of the ball, I was never going to back it up. I was never going to get underneath it and let it spin arm side. So now, most of my mistakes are pulled in the left-hand batter's box, which I'm not going to get hurt with."
Trevor Bauer, a former Cy Young winner, is one of the best pitchers in the game despite his notorious reputation off the field. Hence, it's no surprise that Michael King considered Bauer's words while looking to improve as a pitcher.
Padres starter Michael King names the favorite pitch in his arsenal
As the San Diego Padres continue their impressive start to the MLB season, starting pitcher Michael King continues to play a huge role in their success.
In an interview on Slab Lab, King answered a rapid-fire question on his favorite pitch:
"The easy one, front hip sinker. An executed front hip sinker is the greatest pitch there is."
King holds a 3-0 record this season, with a 2.57 ERA and 31 strikeouts, making him one of the most productive pitchers in the MLB.