The Padres are set to use opening day starter Michael King this Sunday against the Red Sox.

The Padres' right-hander Michael King will make his long-awaited return, as the team announced today that King will be back on the mound for the game against the Red Sox on Sunday, Beijing time, at Petco Park.

Due to a long thoracic nerve issue affecting the strength in his right shoulder, King has been out for nearly three months. His return provides a significant boost to the Padres' starting rotation, especially during this critical time in the second half of the season.

This season, King has started 10 games with a 2.59 ERA. He is the team's opening day starter and was also the starter for the first game of last year's playoffs.

In his only rehab appearance for Triple-A El Paso, King pitched 3.1 innings, allowing six earned runs while recording five strikeouts. He threw 61 pitches, indicating that he will likely face pitch count restrictions upon returning to the major leagues.

Examinations showed that there was no structural damage to King's shoulder, but he was sidelined for about a month due to unresolved nerve issues, waiting for recovery. After the nerve issue improved, he began throwing again at the end of June and returned to the mound in July.

King stated that since the nerve injury has eased, he has not experienced any shoulder problems. After a simulated game at Petco Park at the end of July, he announced that he was "100% recovered" and just needed to build up his pitch count.

After that simulated game, manager Mike Shildt mentioned the context of the trade deadline when asked about King's return.

“Whether we add players or not... it's hard to expect a better option than Michael King,” Shildt said.

Indeed, the Padres made significant moves before the trade deadline, and these new players have begun to make an impact. San Diego is currently just two games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West. Moreover, Shildt's assessment seems to be correct. King's return has provided a tremendous boost for the Padres.

The Padres' starting rotation appears to be strengthening, especially for potential playoff series. Despite various rumors, Dylan Cease was retained at the trade deadline, while right-hander Nick Pivetta has emerged as one of the top starters in the National League this season. Meanwhile, veteran right-hander Yu Darvish has recently returned from the injured list after missing the first half of the season due to right elbow inflammation.

Pivetta, King, and Cease will take turns starting in the weekend series against the Red Sox, as announced by the Padres. This could also mean that King will make his next start on August 16 in the first game of a crucial three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.