MLB Trade Rumors: Padres shopping James Shields

The San Diego Padres could look to trade starter James Shields this winter in an effort to free up some payroll.

With David Price netting $217 million over a seven year contract and word on the street that Zack Greinke is looking for a similar average annual value, the price of pitching is skyrocketing in Major League Baseball. That far outpaces the four year, $75 million deal that James Shields signed prior to 2015, making his $21 million annual salary look that much more realistic.

The San Diego Padres are hoping that also makes him more attractive on the trade market.

The Padres are actively shopping the right-hander, hoping to clear some payroll of the book to address other holes while simultaneously revamping a farm system that took a hit last winter. The thought being that Shields could potentially be attractive to teams looking to keep costs down in a rising market.

However, getting someone to pick up Shields and send back a quality return package may be a taller order than anticipated. He didn’t inspire a ton of confidence in 2015 after moving to a pitcher’s haven in Petco Park and running up a 3.91 ERA, a 4.45 FIP, and the highest HR/FB ratio of his career at 17.6%, which was nearly double from what he produced in Kansas City the year prior.

All told, Shields was valued at just $9 million in 2015 according to FanGraphs, just below the $10 million he cost the Padres last season. However, that rate rises to $21 million each of the next three seasons with a $16 million team option in 2019.

Then there is the fact that his contract contains an opt-out clause after the 2016 season, which would allow the 34-year-old to hit free agency again next winter if he so chooses. In that case, teams could be looking at paying a premium for what is essentially a one year rental and a compensation pick.

That all said, there is still value to Shields. Before his hiccup in 2015, he was one of the most dependable starters in baseball over the previous four seasons. During that time, he had an average value of $29 million per season and there is no reason to believe he can’t revert back to the norm.

With mid-tier pitchers raking in between $15-$20 million per season, the Padres may be able to find their taker for Shields, but they will likely need to include some money if they want to see anything of consequence back. Then again, all it took was one desperate team to give him a contract no one else was comfortable with last season.

San Diego may just need to wait out the market and see if that desperate team comes to them this year.