Padres notes: Michael King’s optimism; Blake Snell’s dedication to Ruben Niebla

LOS ANGELES — In hindsight, Michael King might have ramped up a bit too fast as he pushed to return from his nerve issue. He could pitch through the pain in his left knee, he said Friday, but …

“I know it will hurt every pitch,” King said, “and I think at this point in the season, we can give myself a couple starts to make sure I don’t feel it for the rest of the season and throughout the playoffs.”

Both King and Padres manager Mike Shildt pointed toward the Aug. 25-27 series in Seattle for a potential return to the rotation. Because the move to the 15-day injured list was backdated to Aug. 11, that’s a minimum stay on the shelf and the 30-year-old right-hander believes he’s trending in the right direction.

Thursday’s imaging did not reveal any structural damage. King also had his left knee drained. He expects to throw a bullpen in the coming days and perhaps make a minor-league rehab appearance before potentially rejoining the rotation in Seattle.

“It feels a lot better today,” King said. “ … I’m hoping that, based on how it feels today, from what it was yesterday before it got drained, I’m hoping it’s the minimum amount of time it can be. So, yeah, I’m definitely eyeing Seattle, which I think is the first time I can come back. But obviously it depends on how it feels next couple days.”

The knee discomfort first surfaced after his first sim game in late July at Petco Park. He had not felt it while pitching until coming off the injured list to start Aug. 9 against the Red Sox.

He’d been out of game action for more than two months, so rust was a factor in throwing 57 pitches in giving up two runs in just two-plus innings. But looking back, the knee could have also had an impact on the results.

“I definitely mechanically was a little bit off,” King said. “The main thing that I noticed with it is it was tough to hyperextend my leg and how I go across my body and then get over the top of it. I wasn’t able to do that (against) Boston. So I think that talking to Ruben (Niebla), that was the main thing of like, if it’s starting to affect the mechanics, we’ve got to address it. So very happy with how it felt after it got drained, and I haven’t felt it at all today, so I’m really happy about that.

“Hoping that it’s behind us and we’re good to go soon.”

The trip to the injured list is the second this season for King, who slept on his shoulder wrong in Atlanta in May and missed more than two months after waiting for his long thoracic nerve to fire again.

He was slated to start the opener of this three-game series against the Dodgers, this time with the Padres defending a lead in the NL West standings.

So not starting Friday was a clear disappointment for King, who took the ball in the Padres’ first postseason game last year.

“It’s also a really fun stretch right now for the Padres, so disappointed to not be a part of it,” King said. “But they’ve been phenomenal, so I’ll just continue to be a cheerleader and hope that I can produce for them when I come back.”

Snell’s dedication

Not long after Blake Snell won a second Cy Young, his pitching coach with the Padres posted a picture of himself wearing the jersey that the left-hander gifted him after the 2023 season.

The next time Niebla saw Snell in San Diego — as a member of the Giants’ rotation — he had another gift for the Padres’ pitching coach.

A Rolex.

But it’s the inscription that’s priceless: “Ruben Niebla, Cy Young 2023.”

“It was almost like he dedicated it to me,” Niebla said. “It goes a long ways in our relationship. For him to have that appreciation, it’s very humbling and very emotional.”

Niebla’s success as a pitching coach is tied directly to how he connects with his pitchers. Beyond what happens on the mound, in the bullpen and in meetings, their interest in travel baseball further cemented their bond. Snell founded the Seattle-based Zilla National and is heavily involved in the offseason, while Niebla’s own kids participate in local circuits.

“All the things he does for the youth is something that I really appreciate,” Niebla said. “I appreciate where his heart’s at. He has a huge heart.”

On Saturday, Snell and Niebla will truly be at odds for the first time since the left-hander departed as a free agent after that 2023 Cy Young season.

Snell signed with the Giants last year, but he was on the injured list early in the season and didn’t pitch against the Padres. Likewise, Snell was hurt when the Padres played two series against the Dodgers in June.

“I’m just going to enjoy him pitching,” Niebla said, “but I’m going to enjoy our guy (Dylan Cease) pitching more.”