Royals extend qualifying offer to RHP James Shields

The Kansas City Royals have extended a qualifying offer to starter James Shields, the team announced on Monday.

The offer is worth $15.3 million over one year. Next Monday is the deadline for Shields, a free agent, to accept or reject the offer.

Shields posted a 3.21 ERA with 180 strikeouts and 44 walks over 227 innings in 34 starts this season. Over five postseason starts, the right-hander yielded 36 hits and 17 runs and failed to record a single out in the seventh inning.

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Shields, 32, is coming off his second season in Kansas City after spending the first seven seasons of his career with the Tampa Bay Rays.

The one-time All Star (2011) has made at least 31 starts and pitched at least 200 innings in every season since his rookie year. Over nine seasons, Shields has recorded a 3.72 ERA with a 1.22 WHIP and 3.60 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

The Royals went 89-73 last season and finished in second place in the American League Central before falling to the San Francisco Giants in seven games in the World Series.

- Chris Johnson