Michael King’s sharp spring debut and late surge lift Padres past Angels 7-3 in Peoria

King efficient early as Padres build toward regular-season rotation

Michael King delivered an encouraging first outing of the spring Wednesday, working 2 2/3 innings as the San Diego Padres defeated the Los Angeles Angels 7-3 at Peoria Sports Complex in Cactus League play. King allowed one run on two hits, struck out four and threw 37 pitches, continuing the gradual build-up that typically shapes starters’ early March workloads.

The lone run charged to King came on a leadoff home run in the third inning by Angels infielder Christian Moore. King otherwise navigated the Angels order without a walk, and his outing ended with one out in the third as San Diego turned the game over to a bullpen group tasked with covering the remaining frames.

Angels strike first on Moore homer; Padres offense breaks through late

For five innings, the Padres’ lineup generated limited impact against Angels starter George Klassen and early relievers. That changed in the sixth, when San Diego posted a four-run inning to flip a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 advantage and then create separation.

San Diego’s rally was built on a mix of traffic and patience, including multiple walks that forced in runs. The Padres’ breakthrough inning proved decisive in a spring context where managers often empty benches and deploy multiple pitchers, creating volatile late-game swings.

• Final score: Padres 7, Angels 3
• King’s line: 2 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 2 H, 4 K
• Padres’ biggest inning: four runs in the sixth

Angels’ offense limited to three solo homers

Los Angeles produced all three runs via solo home runs: Moore’s shot in the third, followed by seventh-inning homers from Jo Adell and Omar Martinez. Outside of those swings, San Diego pitchers largely controlled at-bats, and the Angels’ lineup piled up strikeouts as the game moved through a series of pitching changes.

Spring training results are secondary to execution and workload, but King’s strike-throwing and quick outing offered a clear early indicator of where he is in his build-up.

What the game suggests for San Diego’s early spring objectives

From the Padres’ perspective, the game checked two early-camp boxes: a clean, efficient opener from a projected rotation piece and a late offensive response that created distance. With regular-season decisions still weeks away, the more immediate takeaway was structural: King handled his first assignment, the bullpen covered significant innings, and the lineup eventually created scoring through both base hits and plate discipline.

San Diego continues its Cactus League schedule Thursday, with additional pitchers expected to make their spring debuts as the club aligns its rotation and evaluates roster depth.