With the start of the baseball season just around the corner, all of Kansas City is still reveling in the Royals’ historic postseason run, but pitcher James Shields, one of the most pivotal members in the Royals’ success these past two seasons, will be absent from the Opening Day roster on April 6, according to SI.com.

Shields became a free agent at the end of the 2014 season, and quickly began receiving offers from teams like the San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers. Even though Shields’ decision took longer than many people expected, he ultimately chose the San Diego Padres, a decision finalized on Wed, Feb. 11 when he signed a 4-year contract worth $75 million.

Very few people believed that Shields would return to the Royals this season, and his decision to join the Padres didn’t seem to surprise anyone in the baseball world. Shields, a native to southern California, is familiar with the area, and just last year, according to  he and his family moved to Rancho Santa Fe, a suburb of San Diego, according to foxsportskansascity.com.

The Royals face the challenge of replacing Shields, both on and off the field. On the field they will lose a dependable starting pitcher who was at the top of the pitching rotation, but they have a few prospects that could step up and fill Shields’ shoes. Most likely to take his place in the rotation is new offseason acquisition Edinson Volquez who came from the Pittsburgh Pirates. Young pitchers Yordano Ventura and Danny Duffy, consistent throughout last season, could also serve as replacements for Shields.

Perhaps more difficult will be replacing Shields’ influence off the field. He is often credited with changing the environment in the team’s clubhouse, and has been named as one of the people responsible for the Royals’ postseason success last season.

One option for the team would be All-Star left fielder Alex Gordon, a quiet player who prefers to lead by his on-field actions. Another option could be All-Star catcher Salvador Pérez, a young player who seems to have a strong presence in the clubhouse. But perhaps the most possible of all to replace Shields’ off the field leadership will be first baseman Eric Hosmer who is entering his fourth year with the team.

“They’re no longer the team they were in 2014, but that doesn’t mean they can’t play in the postseason again,” junior Jessica Korth said. “They understand that they have the ability to enter the postseason again, as long as they keep building strength and momentum.”
The Royals will begin to build upon their historical postseason heroics that included an unprecedented eight consecutive postseason wins this season without the presence of Shields, a trusted player in his two seasons with the team.