White Sox Trade Rumors: 5 early targets
4. player. 127. . SP. San Diego Padres. James Shields
The White Sox’ one through four of Chris Sale, Jose Quintana, Carlos Rodon and Mat Latos in their starting rotation have been fantastic. However, they have been in a constant search for a capable fifth starter after John Danks looked awful to start the year.
It is difficult to predict which starting pitchers will be available, and I have a hard time seeing the White Sox going big on an ace with their already limited resources, but they will be involved in the starting pitching market. The San Diego Padres are extremely unlikely to be competitive, and would undoubtedly love to get away from James Shields’ contract.
On the surface, Shields’ 3.60 ERA looks solid. However, his consistent decrease in strikeouts and increase in walks is concerning. Shields is pitching to contact now more than ever before, and it has not killed him yet. That being said, there are some signs of a downturn coming.
The 34-year-old Shields is simply not as good as he once was. However, he is a big game pitcher who the White Sox can count on to give them a good effort. Shields should be able to be acquired for a cheap asking price, and would be a rock-solid number four or five for the team.
Shields is no longer the ace pitcher who he used to be, but the White Sox do not need him to be that. His contract is less than ideal, but this is a move that would make a lot of sense by bringing stability to their rotation.
Next: 3. Josh Reddick