Michael King appears set for a return to the AL East. And it turns out he reportedly has a “strong interest” in playing for Boston. But the Red Sox aren’t the only team in the mix for his services. All three  — the Red Sox, the Yankees, and the Orioles — have been named finalists in the race to sign him.

Interestingly enough, King has come close to making a final decision. “The Red Sox, Yankees, and Orioles are competing for Michael King, and he hopes to make a decision soon, per @BGlobeSports,” as noted by MLB insider Tyler Milliken.

Spotrac projects King’s market value at four years and $91 million. Given his production, any team still in the mix would be more than comfortable paying that price.

However, that doesn’t apply to the Red Sox. Considering their self-imposed spending limits, committing roughly $25 million per year to Michael King would be a massive move. Largely because the Red Sox still have two bats on the priority list. That contract would push Boston’s payroll close to $250 million. And well, $264 million is viewed as the ceiling the club is unwilling to cross.

As for the Yankees, they have a strong familiarity with Michael King. The right-hander made his debut with them back in 2019.

New York’s offseason checklist isn’t particularly long, but adding one or two starters to bolster rotation depth before Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón return remains a top priority for Brian Cashman and Co.

Meanwhile, the Orioles are in a strong position, too. They landed Pete Alonso this past week and made several splashy additions this offseason. Most recently, they outbid the Mets by $5 million to win the Alonso sweepstakes.

As for Michael King, he is widely regarded as one of the most coveted starters this time. He has a career 3.24 ERA over 494.2 innings and 64 starts to his name. Right after Dylan Cease committed to the Blue Jays, King naturally became the next top remaining right-handed starter on the free-agent market. That’s why, except for the Blue Jays, these other three AL East teams are pushing hard to make sure they don’t miss out on him.

Mets’ interest in Michael King poses a real threat to AL teams

The Mets are beginning to find some momentum this offseason. But overall, it has been a frustrating winter for them. They’ve watched key pieces like Brandon Nimmo, Pete Alonso, and Edwin Díaz walk away. Their additions so far include Marcus Semien, Jorge Polanco, and Devin Williams.

Starting pitching still remains one of the Mets’ biggest needs right now. Nolan McLean appears to be part of the rotation’s future. But then he’s still developing. And the current options, such as Clay Holmes and David Peterson, do offer reliability but not dominance. So, no doubt the Mets have solid arms, but they could still use a true impact starter at the top of the rotation.

And maybe that is why, in a recent Bleacher Report article, the New York Mets were predicted to land Michael King in free agency.

It’s likely that the Mets will first go for Framber Valdez or Ranger Suárez. And if they’re unable to land him, Michael King stands out as the next best remaining option in free agency.

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Pitchers like Mitch Keller, Joe Ryan, and MacKenzie Gore are also some of the cost-efficient alternatives. Either way, the Mets must significantly upgrade their pitching staff before entering the next campaign.