The Kansas City Royals on Monday extended a one-year, $15.3 million qualifying offer to right-handed starting pitcher James Shields. Shields has until Nov. 10 to accept or decline the offer.
If Shields signs to play somewhere else, the Royals will receive a draft pick as compensation.
Shields is expected to test the free-agent waters and could receive a multiyear offer worth as much as $80 million. He was acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay in 2013.
In two seasons with the Royals, Shields has gone 27-17 while compiling a 3.18 ERA. Since 2007, he has pitched more than 200 innings each season.