Michael King Injury: Expects to pitch again this season

King (shoulder) said Friday that he's "very confident" he'll pitch again this year, Marty Caswell of The Sporting Tribune reports.

King hasn't pitched in a game since May 18 and landed on the injured list May 25 due to what was initially deemed shoulder inflammation. The issue has since been classified as a pinched nerve, and King explained Friday that his injury is to the long thoracic nerve, adding that injuries to that specific nerve are rarely encountered in baseball. The righty hurler mentioned that he and the Padres are in the "discovery phase" of understanding the injury and that he's seen several specialists across the country in an attempt to get answers. King also indicated that the next step in his recovery isn't clear at the moment, though he did say that he feels he's progressing and that he believes he's going to be able to return to the mound this season. For the time being, King is focusing on strengthening his injured shoulder and is doing only light throwing. Manager Mike Shildt implied Thursday that the team expects King to be out at least through the All-Star break.