KANSAS CITY, MO (October 31, 2013) – The Kansas City Royals announced today that the club has exercised its 2014 club option on starting pitcher James Shields. Consistent with club policy, terms of the option were not disclosed.

Shields, 31, was traded to the Royals on December 9, 2012 and immediately became the ace of the pitching staff. He posted a 13-9 record with a 3.15 ERA in an American League-best 228.2 innings in his first season in Kansas City. The veteran righty also led the league in quality starts (27), tied for the American League lead in games started (34) and ranked seventh in strikeouts (196). His 27 quality starts were tied for the third-most by a Royals pitcher and were the top total since Kevin Appier posted 29 in 1993.

Shields was honored earlier today with the 2013 Joe Burke Special Achievement Award by the Kansas City Chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA). The award honors an unsung hero or a player that the writers feel deserved recognition for an outstanding season.