James Shields Was Almost Traded To Arizona Diamondbacks

James Shields will start Game 1 of the 2014 World Series for the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday night. But was he almost a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks instead?

“Big Game James.” That is the nickname to which James Shields will aspire as he takes the mound for the biggest game for the Kansas City Royals’ franchise in 30 years on Tuesday night.

More from Arizona Diamondbacks

It’s the World Series. It’s the Royals vs the San Francisco Giants. And it’s the trade that has come to define a big part of this Royals team’s identity.

Trading Wil Myers and Jake Odorizzi to the Tampa Bay Rays for Shields and Wade Davis was the move that signaled that this Royals team was ready to contend. Even two years later, that symbolism still holds as Shields serves as one of the team’s leaders. But what if that trade had never happened?

In advance of Game 1 of the World Series, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports that the trade almost didn’t happen. Shields was almost traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks instead. Rosenthal writes the following about what happened as Kansas City general manager Dayton Moore considered his options at the time:

"As Moore huddled with his advisers, three other GMs — the Rays’ Andrew Friedman, Diamondbacks’ Kevin Towers and Texas Rangers’ Jon Daniels — were deeply engaged in their own trade discussions.Those discussions, according to major league sources, centered around a three-team deal that would have sent Shields and Davis to Arizona, outfielder Justin Upton to Texas and a package of prospects to the Rays.That night — er, morning — the deal was close, sources say.But, for reasons that are unclear, it never got done."

Now Shields is with the Royals. While the success has not been there in terms of postseason numbers, he is clearly an integral part of the equation as the American League champs prepare to take on the San Francisco Giants.

More from FanSided

Home/Arizona Diamondbacks