James Shields remains the top player on the free agent market and with just weeks left to go until the start of the season, there has been some speculation about where he could end up and teams like the Miami Marlins, LA Dodgers, NY Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, Milwaukee Brewers, KC Royals and Chicago Cubs could be options to sign the pitcher in free agency.
Shields comes in after going 14-8 last season and helping the Royals make it to the World Series and now he is poised to get a deal soon. Reports had Shields waiting for Scherzer to sign to set the benchmark and now he could be in line for a $100 million deal. The Yankees have some young arms, but they surely could use a veteran, while the Cardinals have some questions marks with Michael Wacha and Adam Wainwright.
According to Hardball Talk, Shields is a target for the Blue Jays and the Padres, while the Miami Marlins are also in the mix. The Yankees could use another starter, but they do not appear willing to shell out money for a free agent. If Shields dangles a bit more and his price goes down, there is a chance that the Yankees could jump in on him. The Brewers also could look at Shields after trading Yovani Gallardo to the Rangers.
Shields earned over $13 million last season and he will cost a solid amount for whatever teams that signs him, but likely much less than what Scherzer signed for. Teams like the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres have been mentioned as potential options for Shields, while the Giants, Dodgers and Angels also could get involved if things continue along this way on the market. Shields is a durable player and while his nickname may not be totally earned, he would be a strong signing for any team that needs to eat up innings for their bullpen this season.
The Yankees rotation could be great, but it also has as many question marks as anyone. CC Sabathia and Masahiro Tanaka are coming back from injuries, while Ivan Nova had Tommy John surgery and they also will be without Hiroki Kuroda. The team has some young arms, but the bullpen likely will get taxed with Tanaka and Sabathia coming back from injuries and that means a player like Shields could be key. Shields will help save those innings for the bullpen, as he is a six-to-seven inning pitcher on a consistent basis and went for 227 innings pitched last season.
According to Hardball Talk, the Toronto Blue Jays are an option, as Fox Sports reports that they could be in the mix if Shields ends up signing a four year deal worth about $80 million. The Blue Jays have been making big moves, including signing Russell Martin and Shields could be a good option. Some have suggested the Tigers would be in the mix now that Scherzer is gone, as Shields would be cheaper, while the Diamondbacks have also shown interest.
