Kansas City, Mo. ? The Royals have extended a one-year, $15.3 million qualifying offer to pitcher James Shields, and protected themselves with draft-pick compensation if Shields signs elsewhere.

Shields has until Nov. 10 to accept or decline the offer. He is expected to enter free agency and reap a contract worth as much as $80 million. Kansas City will stay in contact with Shields, who arrived in a trade from Tampa Bay before the 2013 season, but the Royals are not considered the favorites to land him.

The Royals also on Monday picked up the $7 million, one-year option on reliever Wade Davis for 2015. If the Royals had declined the option, he would have been eligible for arbitration but would not have become a free agent.

Shields dented his résumé somewhat with a subpar October. But his profile is still strong. He posted a 3.18 ERA and went 27-17 in two seasons as a Royal. He has logged more than 200 innings in every season since 2007.

Shields could be marketed as a more affordable alternative to fellow free-agent starters like Jon Lester and Max Scherzer.

He is 33, but still could receive a five-year contract offer.

General manager Dayton Moore indicated over the weekend that he considered his top offseason priority to be maintaining his team’s pitching strength.

If Shields departs, the Royals could pursue Ervin Santana, who shined at Kauffman Stadium in 2013.