The Padres have reached out to other teams to gauge interest in right-hander James Shields, according to a report from Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com. The news signifies that San Diego may be looking to make drastic moves at the trade deadline, with general manager A.J. Preller not afraid to shop one of his prized offseason additions.
San Diego currently sits ten games below .500 and eleven games back of the Dodgers in the NL West, causing many throughout the game to wonder if they will be aggressive sellers at the trade deadline in three weeks. Reports earlier in the week noted that Justin Upton and Craig Kimbrel could become available if the team decided to sell, along with Will Venable, Ian Kennedy, Joaquin Benoit, Shawn Kelley, Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner. Shields' inclusion as a trade possibility is a new one, though he would draw significant interest due to his success so far this season (3.88 ERA in eighteen starts).
Shields does not have a no-trade clause in the four-year, $75 million deal he signed with San Diego in February, so the team does not have to deal with that potential obstacle. The veteran righty is owed a guaranteed $65 million over the next three seasons and is controlled for the 2019 season on a $16 million option.