Marlins reportedly interested in James Shields
It's shaping up to be a wild winter in Miami.
The Marlins are reportedly expressing interest in top free-agent pitcher James Shields, despite inking Giancarlo Stanton to the richest contract in sports history this week.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports the Marlins are considering making a run at the former Kansas City Royals right-hander, even though he'll command a lucrative multi-year deal and cost Miami a first-round draft pick.
Shields promises to generate plenty of interest this offseason, but figures to remain unsigned until elite arms Max Scherzer and Jon Lester are off the market.
The Marlins' young rotation could use a veteran like Shields, whose thrown eight straight seasons of at least 200 innings and owns a career strikeout-per-nine rate of 7.7.
Rosenthal notes Marlins general manager Dan Jennings and Shields have previous ties. Jennings was the Tampa Bay Rays scouting director when Shields was drafted by the club in 2000.
Shields, who turns 33 before next season, pitched to a 3.21 ERA with 180 strikeouts in 227 innings over 34 starts in 2014.