The teams that have already met with free-agent lefty Patrick Corbin have been given the impression that he’s hoping to be the first major free agent to sign a long-term contract this winter, tweets Jayson Stark of The Athletic. Corbin met with the Phillies, Nationals and Yankees this week, though he’s surely been in contact with other clubs as the consensus top starting pitcher available in free agency. Stark suggests that a Corbin signing “will almost certainly” happen before the Winter Meetings, which are already only nine days away from beginning.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal wrote yesterday that early interest in Corbin is robust, with some teams believing he’ll receive offers of six years in length. (MLBTR projected Corbin to sign a six-year, $129MM contract.) Notably, Rosenthal cites one source in suggesting that Nationals GM Mike Rizzo is “seriously focused” on acquiring Corbin, though Washington’s history of baking heavy deferrals into long-term contracts isn’t always well received by free agents.
More anecdotally, Rosenthal tweets that at Corbin’s offseason wedding, his younger brother donned a Yankees hat during his best man speech and joked that he hoped the groom would soon be moving closer to home. (Corbin, a childhood Yankees fan, is from Syracuse.) The New York Post’s Ken Davidoff spoke to Yankees general manger Brian Cashman about the team’s meeting with Corbin, though Cashman unsurprisingly declined to reveal much, simply stating that Corbin “left here knowing a lot more about us than when he arrived.” The GM did, however, imply that the organization won’t necessarily wait for Corbin to make a decision before moving on. Based on Stark’s report, however, it doesn’t sound as if Corbin will be making interest parties wait all that long.
The 29-year-old Corbin is the second-youngest and very arguably the best starting pitcher on the free-agent market. He turned in his second career 200-inning season in 2018, his second straight season with 33 appearances and ranked seventh among qualified starting pitchers in strikeout percentage as well as second in swinging-strike rate.
If there’s a knock on Corbin, it’s that he doesn’t have a lengthy track record of performing at this level — largely because he underwent Tommy John surgery midway through his Diamondbacks tenure, missed one and a half seasons, and struggled in his first full year back. He’s been a quality hurler over the past two seasons, though, and D-backs pitching coach Mike Butcher tells Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer that he believes Corbin can maintain his 2018 transformation for years to come. Butcher and Lauber discuss the changes to Corbin’s arsenal — including the refinement of his slider and altered usage of his curveball — that brought about Corbin’s breakout season in 2018 in an interview that’s well worth a full read-through for fans hoping their preferred club will land the lefty.
I think Brian Cashman should just sign Corbin even if it’s more than the Yankees are willing to offer. It sounds like Corbin wants to be a Yankee
If he wants to be a Yankee why would they have to overpay for him? Offer him market value and he’ll accept if he actually wants to be a yankee.
It sounds like that it’s not entirely up to Cashman. Of course Cashman wants to sign him. It sounds like at least the three teams Corbin visited are in a waiting pattern for Corbin to decide who he wants to sign with. Then it will be a matter of that team being willing to give him a contract he will accept. IF that is the Yankees I fully expect Cashman to make it happen.
I’ve never heard that a team should go above what they’re comfortable paying just because the player really wants to play there. Not sure I follow that logic. Wouldn’t it make more sense that Corbin would take less money if he really wants to play there that bad?
He’s just trolling…
Oh well if he wants to be a Yankee than you think the Yanks have to just pay him whatever Corbin wants?
Come on cashman
Let’s just see if the Yanks offer him a 5 year(which is the smart play) vs 6 year contract.
Unless of course he comes here and pitches like a stud, in which case a 6 year would be the smart play. If the Yanks want him bad enough they shouldn’t be shy about giving the extra year if there’s a risk that it might cause him to sign somewhere else that will.
Very confused on why the Braves wouldn’t at least meet with him; unless he has no interest in meeting with us.
I doubt the Braves want to use two thirds of their projected payroll left to add Corbin when they still need an outfielder and a reliever if not two relievers
It’s more likely they bring in a pitcher that’s a little less expensive through trade if they do it at all after the Donaldson signing with other needs still needing to be addressed
That’s one way to look at it and you’re definitely not wrong. With the addition of Donaldson I personally think the main priority should be an ace which Corbin would be for us. We can always use our pitching prospects and put them into the bullpen to get a taste of major league hitters and also see what kind of stuff they have at the major league level. Then lets see if Camargo can play the outfield on the days Donaldson plays 3b. I just think you need that go to ace to win in the playoffs and right now we don’t have one. Folty is a solid #2 but he is no ace (yet). If he can learn to keep his pitch count down, then we can start talking ace for him. You can have the best hitting lineup in the world but if you don’t have the pitching you’re not gonna win a big playoff series.
Astros bound
Did Houston move to the east coast?
East coast of Texas
I initially didn’t want the Yankees going past 5yrs/$100mil for Corbin, but with the aggressive market of the Phillies they’re going to have to go six years to get him. I think 6yrs/$115 mil gets the job done, even if the Phillies offer is a little bit higher.
5/100 gets the job done. Yankees are in an amazing place. They have plenty of assets to trade for a frontline starter. Plenty of money to add whoever they want, all while having won 100 games last year. Players should want to play for them. I think the yankees can land machado at 7-8 250-290. Just because they dont need hi..
I don’t trust Corbin. NL to AL and not enough of a track record. I’m just thinking back when they brought in Jarrett Wright, Kevin brown, Burnett all busts.
Hope this guy signs with those Bombers!! Lifelong fan signing with his favorite team!! That’d be awesome!!!
The first post in every single one of these articles is why the Yankees should sign them. I think the Yankees should sign everyone and have a 100 man roster
I’m in, let’s do it.
I think a 100-man rotation is a bit much, but a solid 8-man rotation of Severino, Corbin, Paxton, Tanaka, Bumgarner, Happ, Sabathia, and Syndergaard should really get the Yankees ready. You can never have too much pitching!
No Kluber?
He must think deGrom is a scrub.
Whatever it takes…8, 10, 12. You got my vote
Anyone worried about his drop in velocity this year? It seemed to rebound a little bit later in the season, but it was still off a few ticks. As a Yankees fan I’d love to see Corbin signed, but I do have concerns about investing 6 years and $120+ million on him. Normally overpaying for performance wouldn’t concern me with respect to the Yankees, due to their deep pockets. However, the new cash conscience, luxury tax limited operational philosophy the team has adopted means we Yankees fans have to pay attention to how the dollars go around. I’m not complaining at all. It’s the Yankees money, and they can spend, or not spend it, how they wish. $200 million on a team is more than enough to compete at a WS level, and it’s far more than the majority of teams have the good fortune to spend. The Yanks are a have, and not a have not, even if they cap their payroll at the LT. The point is if the Yankees have a spending cap is Corbin, in the AL East & Yankee Stadium, a $20-25m per year player thru age 35?
Oh, and I do think he signs with the Yankees.
I like Corbin, but $120 – 130 million is a huge overpay. 6 years is, also. I’d offer 5 years/ $110 million and if he passes, just go sign Happ for a lot less. Don’t think there’s much difference between Happ and Corbin, performance wise.
So you’d offer him $110M, but $120-130M would be a “huge overpay”?
Yeah, I’m not following the logic either… especially if the 120-130 is with the 6th year.
I think $110 million is an overpay, but that’s what happens when you’re the best option on a limited free agent market. Truthfully, I don’t think Corbin is worth more than 5-years, $90 million. I wouldn’t even consider a 6th year, either. Just my opinion.
I’m a fan,we will see if being a Yankee is more valuable to him than $$$$.
cash needs to be smart here. More important not to go over on years. Yanks print $$$ so I care not about the AAV, but the years… He could/should do what he did with cano and let the chips fall where they lay.
On the other hand if cash really wants a rotation of solid #3 guys who can’t get into the 4th in October when it matters than this is also a no brainier
Why are the White Sox not being be of the teams going after Corbin?
Theres not enough time to list all of the reasons.
6yrs/120+M…..way too much for an average pitcher
Isn’t that how much Zimmerman got?
Low ball him
ey gets jelly-legged on one highball!!!
Corbin is going to mow down every other hitter and he’s going to do it looking like a cold-blooded killer in Yankee pinstripes.
I like the enthusiasm.
Sanchez and chips for Realmuto? I read it elsewhere but this is where I go for the REAL rumours…haven’t seen any articles on here mention it so I’ll believe it to be trolling until then…Corbin signing as a NYY makes me a bit nervous coming from NL to AL beast…still tho, it makes the rotation stronger…so long Sonny!
Honestly, the whole “AL Beast” thing is so much anymore. I mean, any pitcher the Yanks sign obviously won’t have to face the Yanks. The Sox are obviously an impressive line-up with a small stadium. Other than those two who’s there to really fear?
Among AL teams:
Hrs rankings: Yanks #1, Blue Jays #3, Red Sox #6, Orioles #9 and Rays #14.
Jays are likely to move Smoak, Martin and maybe Morales. They do have Vlad and Bichette who should be coming up in 2019. The Rays moved Cron their best power hitter and Mallex Smith one of their best contact hitters. Wilson Ramos probably won’t return. The O’s won’t have Manny, Chili Davis has regressed so badly. Schoop is gone. Jones probably won’t return and I wouldn’t be shocked if they traded Trumbo who’s 1 year from walking and has a moderate 2019 salary.
I’m not saying the O’s, Rays and Jays are chumps, and there’s still time for them to add a bat, but it’s unlikely they are going to bring in a MAJOR impact bat.
I would say that in the AL as a whole, the only teams that should make any pitcher cringe would be the Yanks, Red Sox, A’s, Angels, Indians and Astros.
If lefty’s like Corbin (if he becomes a Yankee) and Paxton can learn to use NYS to their advantage by limiting homeruns to RF then I think they should be in a good position to succeed if they have the mental capacity to handle pressure and can stay healthy.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Corbin is only a backup plan for the Yankees with the primary plan being trading for a better pitcher than Corbin.
I think other teams should push the price up so the Yankees have to overpay; so they’re stuck with another albatross contract for years to come. Baseball needs a salary cap so bad it’s not funny.
I’m sure other teams are too busy to play stupid games like that.
Yeah except that the Yankees entered the 2018 season with the 10th highest payroll…so yeah you feel dumb now.
Yea sure some team who does not want him should offer him lets say 5 years at $30m or $150 million (insane) to s player they do not want? To push the price up? Haha. What happens then if Corbin says yes!!
Let’s get Corbin done already. We got to sign up Happ next!!
Overpay for a career year… never works in fantasy baseball, which means it doesn’t work in real life too.
It was a career year,but he did show that type of potential pre-injury.He’ll turn 30 next season,so he’ll be 35 at the end of a 6 year deal…. I think the Phillies should overpay him,like 6y-135…. Even if he gives ya a top 3 the first half of those 6,if 1 or 2 pitching prospects find their way up,they could possible find a way to keep the cost balanced if he slides.
Follow that up with a Herrera or Williams/Eflin or Pivetta package for Carrasco.Go into next season with 3 guys who’ve finished in the top 5 of cy voting once,in each of the last 2 years,followed by a former cy winner in the 4 spot.
It would definitely show any position players we might want that we’re serious.
Career year in their walk year? Please sign him to at least 8 years.