DETROIT -- James Shields doesn't like losing, but he still likes taking the ball every fifth day.
So this 2018 season has been a strange mix for the veteran hurler. Shields' 14 losses in his 4-14 mark rank second in the Majors to Alex Cobb's 15 for Baltimore, but he also feels great physically and has made 25 starts, covering 157 innings.
When Shields takes the mound on Friday night against the Royals, it will be his 398th career start. It's likely at some point during a road trip to Detroit and New York at the end of August, Shields will become the 134th pitcher in Major League history to make 400 starts, per Baseball Reference.
"It's funny, because a couple of years ago, I never really thought about games started or anything like that," Shields said. "Now that it's approaching 400, I think it's a testament to my hard work, and I'm really, really proud to be able to post every five days, for the most part, in my entire career."
Shields feels physically strong this year, something he worked tirelessly to achieve in the offseason. He has a 4.41 ERA but has pitched at least six innings in 18 of his last 21 starts.

That sort of durability would seem to make him a quality option for a contending team. Maybe it's tough to sell a 14-loss pitcher to a fan base, but Shields has certainly pitched better than his record.
"As a competitor, I look at my win/loss record, and I don't really like it, to be honest with you," said Shields, who is more focused on team wins over individual. "Obviously, I'm not downplaying the way I've pitched this year.
"But yeah, wins and losses, that's what this game is all about, winning games. I haven't won enough games this year, as much as I wanted to this year. I'm going to hopefully finish strong and get some W's under my belt and feel good about my season at the end."
Castillo working his way back
Welington Castillo is working his way back toward the Majors at the White Sox Camelback Ranch complex in Glendale, Ariz. The 31-year-old catcher received an 80-game suspension without pay on May 23 after testing positive for Erythropoietin (EPO), a performance-enhancing substance, in violation of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.
"He's getting himself back in shape, and hopefully, we will know exactly where he's at here in the next couple of days," White Sox manager Rick Renteria said. "But he's probably still a little bit away. He's still got to get himself back into playing shape. He's been doing good, working out.
"The biggest thing for us is he needs to get at-bats underneath him. He needs to be able to throw and do everything he's supposed to be doing in order to be able to play here."
In Castillo's absence, Omar Narvaez has hit .328 with five homers, 20 RBIs and a .928 OPS since May 24, when he took over starting catching duties. Kevan Smith has produced a .291 batting average with 11 RBIs in 118 plate appearances this season. Castillo hit .267 with six homers and 15 RBIs prior to the suspension.

Moncada dealing with tooth issue
Yoan Moncada had a scheduled day off for Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Tigers, with Matt Davidson moving to third and Yolmer Sanchez to second. But Moncada also was absent from much of pregame activities after undergoing a root canal earlier in the day. He'll receive phase two of that operation on Thursday.
"We expect him back," Renteria said. "He should be available."
Moncada entered Tuesday hitting .221 with a .701 OPS. He also topped the Majors with 169 strikeouts.

Third to first
• Class A Advanced Winston-Salem outfielder Luis Gonzalez and left-handed pitcher Kyle Kubat were named Carolina League Player and Pitcher of the Week, respectively, for Aug. 6-12. Gonzalez went 7-for-17 with three doubles, two home runs and six RBIs in five games last week.
Kubat worked a career-high seven scoreless innings and allowed two hits with five strikeouts in a win on Aug. 7 vs. Myrtle Beach.
• Zack Burdi, the No. 17 White Sox prospect per MLB Pipeline, was one of three pitchers to combine for Monday's no-hitter for the organization's Arizona Rookie League team in a 3-1 victory over the Brewers. Burdi underwent Tommy John surgery on July 27 of last season but already has made four appearances for the Arizona squad. Burdi struck out the side Monday and has fanned six over 3 2/3 innings.
"Saw a little bit of his video today, and he threw the ball pretty well," Renteria said. "His ball has some really good action. He's progressing. Feeling good and on the track trying to make a return."