White Sox pitcher James Shields hasn’t won a game since opening day but ranks 14th among major-league starters in May with a 0.9 WAR, according to fangraphs.com.
That upsurge gives the Sox hope they can deal the veteran by the trade deadline in July, a prospect once considered far-fetched because of Shields’ high salary and high earned-run average.
But if Shields can continue pitching like he has in May, they may even get a decent prospect in return, depending on how much of his remaining salary they would eat in a deal. While the Sox value the 36-year-old’s leadership in the clubhouse, they’d also like to reward him with a chance to pitch for a contender.