If that's what the Rays are asking, they can keep Shields. He's a good, not great, pitcher who is due to make ~$22m over the next two seasons. It doesn't make sense to pay significant prospects for a guy who isn't priced much below what he'd get on the free agent market. Fangraphs values his performance the past two years as $21.9m and $19.3m respectively. It's quite plausible his value exceeds $18m each of the next two seasons. The going rate on the FA market is about $10m for a decent #3 starter, and usually with a comittment of at least three years. Shields looks very much like a 'number 1', is only 30 years old, and the type of pitcher he is doesn't seem to be prone to suddenly falling off a cliff in their early 30's. TB is looking for pitching because every team is always looking for pitching. I'm just not sure they'll like what we have. Fangraphs valued Span at $17.4m last season. Span is under contract for three years at almost the same price Shields is for two. Again, if they want much more than Span for Shields, I'd pass.