In one of the biggest no-brainer calls of the offseason, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the Rays have informed right-hander James Shields that they’ll exercise his $10.25 million option for 2013.
Shields is a tremendous bargain at that price after bouncing back from a rough 2010 season to throw 477 innings with a 3.15 ERA and 448/123 K/BB ratio during the past two years.
He’s cracked 200 innings in six straight seasons, struck out a career-high 8.8 batters per nine innings this year, and because they were smart enough to lock him up to a long-term extension early the Rays also hold an option on Shields for 2014.
The only question now is whether a team that’s always heavy on young pitching and always light on payroll room will shop Shields around this winter.
