Chris Cotillo of SB Nation reports the Padres have agreed to sign free agent right-hander James Shields to a four-year deal that includes a club option for a fifth season, according to major-league sources.
The deal, which is expected to be in the $72-76 million range according to sources, is pending a physical and is likely to be announced early in the week.
Shields, who rejected a one-year qualifying offer from the Royals, went 14-6 with a 3.21 ERA in 34 regular season games in 2014. He helped the Royals reach the World Series for the first time in 29 seasons.
With Shields finally off the market, don’t be surprised to see interest picking up again on Dillon Gee. A few previously interested teams may circle back on him, and maybe a couple of teams who lost out on Shields may view Gee as a fallback option. It’s possible.
At two years and roughly $12 million coming to him, Gee is a bargain given current market conditions, and some teams are still reportedly looking to round out the back of their rotations.
Sandy Alderson has often said that Shields was the linchpin to maximizing Dillon Gee’s trade market. Perhaps this could be the moment he’s been waiting for.
