Yanks give Corbin royal treatment in Bronx
Patrick Corbin’s tour of the Northeast Amtrak Corridor took him to the Bronx on Thursday, where he was given the royal treatment at Yankee Stadium – his head photoshopped into a Yankees hat and pinstriped jersey on the giant video screen in centerfield, and an audience with the club’s power brokers, a group that included GM Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone.
“I understand it went very well,’’ said a source who was not present at the meeting but had been informed of its inner details.
That is encouraging news for the Yankees and their fans, because adding Corbin, a freeagent lefty who went 11-7 with a 3.15 ERA for the Diamondbacks last year, would further strengthen a rotation already fortified by the addition of James Paxton via trade with the Seattle Mariners last week.
No deal was made but it is expected the Yankees would go all out to sign Corbin, who is considered the top free-agent pitcher in this year’s market. His career record is 56-54 with a 3.91 ERA in six seasons with the D’backs. Since their season ended with a fourgame loss to the Boston Red Sox in the ALDS, Yankee officials have privately expressed their eagerness to pursue the 29-year-old. The Yankees have also expressed an interest in signing J.A. Happ, who went 7-0 in 11 starts for them after being acquired at last season’s trade deadline.
Over the past week, Corbin has also met with the Phillies and the Nationals, but has been quoted as saying the Yankees were his favorite team growing up in Cicero, N.Y. Corbin was accompanied to the meeting, which according to the source lasted “a couple of hours,’’ by his agent, John Courtright.
Corbin was headed for stardom in 2013, when as a 23-yearold he posted a 14-8 record and 3.41 ERA. But he missed all of 2014 after undergoing Tommy John surgery and struggled the next two seasons before rebounding to go 14-13 in 2017. Last season, he struck out 246 batters in 200 innings, averaging 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings, higher than any other Yankee starter in 2018.