MLB Rumors: Each Team’s Odds of Signing Patrick Corbin This Offseason

Posted on November 13, 2018, by Bryan Zarpentine

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There are a number of great starting pitchers available on the free agent market this winter. However, there’s a strong argument that the best one available is lefty Patrick Corbin. The 29-year old is coming off a season in which he posted a 3.15 ERA across 33 starts. It was easily the best season of his career and should lead to him having a number of suitors. Let’s take a look at what teams have the best chance of signing Corbin early in the offseason.

Angels – 15%

The Angels have a lot of capable pitchers in their organization, but most of them have struggled to stay healthy in recent years. Given Corbin’s durability and consistency over 33 starts in 2018, he’d be the perfect pitcher to lead their rotation. Early indications are that the Halos will make a serious effort to sign Corbin. If he wants to stay on the west coast after several years in Arizona, the Angels would be a likely destination for Corbin.

Astros – 10%

With Lance McCullers set to miss the 2019 season due to Tommy John surgery, the Astros could be in the market for a starter. It remains to be seen if they’ll want to shop at the top of the market. But Corbin would make an ideal complement to Gerrit Cole and Justin Verlander, giving the Astros a great lefty to sandwich between the two righties.

Braves – 15%

Atlanta would benefit greatly from a pitcher of Corbin’s caliber leading their rotation. The Braves have no shortage of young, promising starters either in the big leagues or in the upper minors. But if they plan on returning to the playoffs in the years to come, they’ll need a bonafide ace to help them. Corbin definitely fits the bill, and the Braves would appear to have the money to sign him.

Giants – 10%

The Giants will be an interesting team to watch this offseason. There’s a chance they could go into a rebuilding phase. But there’s also got to be some pressure on them after not making the playoffs the last two seasons. They have some nice pieces in their rotation already, but pairing Corbin with Madison Bumgarner could make San Francisco’s rotation one of the best in baseball.

Phillies – 15%

Let’s face it, the Phillies are going to be interested in every high-priced free agent this winter. Also, adding Corbin to a rotation that already features Aaron Nola and Jake Arrieta could potentially make Philadelphia the favorites in the NL East. That troika of starters could go up against any in baseball, so don’t rule out the Phillies making Corbin one of their top priorities, especially if they lose out on getting Bryce Harper or Manny Machado.

Yankees – 25%

Right now, the Yankees have to be considered the favorites to sign Corbin. Even after re-signing C.C. Sabathia, the Yankees are likely to add one or two more starters. They also have plenty of money to spend and will likely use it on a pitcher. It definitely won’t hurt that Corbin grew up in upstate New York as a Yankees fan, so if they make a competitive offer, it could be tough for him to turn it down.

The Field – 10%

For a pitcher like Corbin, there aren’t too many teams that can be ruled out. Teams like the Nationals, Reds, and White Sox have all been rumored to be possible suitors. The A’s, Brewers, Cardinals, and Rockies could make sense as well. When all is said and done, Corbin will have a lot of teams after him and a lot of options.