It’s been a surprise that no offer has been made to the 33-year-old, especially with his durability and proven track record. With 14 victories last season, the former 16th round draft choice now has eight straight seasons with double-digit wins.
Last year the right-hander finished the year with 180 strikeouts and an impressive 3.21 ERA, but despite his success, teams seem reluctant to pull the trigger on a deal. Several clubs are rumored to have interest, including the Toronto Blue Jays who have already added Russell Martin and Josh Donaldson to bolster the offense, but for this franchise to get back into the MLB Playoffs, adding another quality starter is a must.
Jacob Shafer of Bleacher Report has the Jays as favorites to add the All-Star pitcher, but Toronto is one of three teams reportedly in the hunt to add the free agent pitcher.
Adding Shields would give the Blue Jays a formidable staff heading into the 2015 season. With RA Dickey, Mark Buehrle, Marcus Stroman and Drew Hutchison, this club already has some quality talent, but by adding a player with playoff experience and a leader in the clubhouse, this squad could become the favorites to win the AL East and a dark horse for a World Series appearance.
One of the negatives is ownership, which according to some reports are looking to add another player, but at a much lower cost. Winning brings fans to the gate and championships aren’t cheap and for this team to finally get back to the days of winning division titles and challenging for a World Championship, spending now on a starter like Shields could prove to be a great investment.
