Corbin has no regrets joining Nats
AT THIS time last year, before free agency began, if you knew that Patrick Corbin would be going to a World Series the following October, the strong belief was that it would be with the Yankees.
After all, he was raised a Yankees fan in upstate New York, and the Yankees had him as their No. 1 free-agent target. At Corbin’s request, the Yanks had him in for a visit, but they recognized even at that point that was probably just formality. Because they were hesitant to go beyond a fouryear offer while they were being told the lefty had a six-year request on the table.
That turned out to be true. Corbin signed for six years at $140 million to join a powerhouse rotation with Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg. He proved — in Year 1 — to be a positive purchase, going 14-7 with a 3.25 ERA with 238 strikeouts in 202 innings.
“I really tried to enjoy the whole process,” Corbin said. “Having multiple teams show interest in us and being able to go to those cities was really enjoyable. At the end of the day, it came down to a couple of things. I certainly looked at the rotation that [the Nationals] did have and the players who were here.”
Has he ever thought about what might have been with a Yankee team which certainly needed him in 2019?
“I never second-guessed it,” Corbin said. “I did grow up a Yankees fan. But I love every second of being here and have no regrets at all.”
➤ The Nationals’ rotation nearly ended up even stronger than the force it has been in helping get Washington to the World Series. The Nats believe they were the runners-up for Charlie Morton, who signed with the Rays for two years at $20 million. It was understood that after last season Morton would leave Houston and wanted to pitch closer to his Eastern roots. Washington made an offer commensurate to the Rays, but the righty went to Tampa Bay and went 16-6 with a 3.05 ERA.
The Nats did fine in signing Anibal Sanchez for two years at $19 million and claim there are even scenarios in which they would have signed Corbin, Morton and Sanchez to join Scherzer and Strasburg.