Around the Empire: Yankees news - 11/23/18

NJ.com | Mike Rosenstein: Patrick Corbin has been an obvious Yankees target for weeks, or even months, at this point. Former MLB GM Steve Phillips argues that while Corbin makes sense for the Yankees, perhaps the Yankees should sign both Corbin and J.A. Happ. The Yankees did run into depth issues at times last time. Would it be crazy to sign a sixth starter that would expect major innings?

FanGraphs | Craig Edwards: This isn’t an explicitly Yankees news story, but I think it’s important to consider. Edwards discusses the Braves’ financial situation, and highlights how Atlanta, in spite of average attendance, average ticket prices, and an awful television broadcast deal, turned a massive, nine-figure profit. Just something to chew on when thinking about whether the Yankees, with far higher ticket prices, a larger market, and a lucrative television deal, should splurge in the face of this interesting free agent class.

MLBTradeRumors | Rob Huff: Speaking of, MLBTradeRumors did a projection of the Yankees’ 2019 payroll. Huff goes through a detailed analysis, looking at past Yankee payrolls, arbitration eligible players, and potential free agent signings. He arrives at an estimate of a payroll around $220 or $230 million, which would at least be an improvement on last season.

FanCred | Jon Heyman: Heyman reports that while the Yankees have primarily been linked to pitching and Manny Machado on the free agent market, there have been “multiple contacts” between the Yankees and Bryce Harper’s camp. The Yankees are apparently still a threat, and Heyman surprisingly mentions the Mets as a dark-horse contender for Harper’s services as well.