Patrick Corbin really wants to pitch for the Yankees

Yesterday I wrote about the Yankees’ odds in the premature Clayton Kershaw sweepstakes. It’s only fitting that I follow it up with another story about an impending free agent southpaw coming out of the National League West. This union, however, seems far more likely.

Of course I’m talking about Patrick Corbin. The Diamondbacks left-hander made it clear yesterday that he has pinstripes on his mind. He raved about the Yankees, his childhood favorite team, in an interview with Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

“It would definitely be great to play there. I grew up a Yankee fan. My whole family are Yankee fans. My mom, my dad, my grandpa, everybody. Really, every generation of my family has been Yankee fans.

Corbin, 28, is off to a brilliant start this season. He’s 4-0 with a 1.89 ERA across 33.1 innings. His peripherals suggest this is no fluke, either. He owns a shiny 1.99 FIP and an otherworldly 12.96 K/9. That strikeout rate figures to come back down to earth, but even then the rest of his game should keep him pitching at a high level. In short, Corbin has been really good in 2018.

This isn’t anything out of the ordinary, either. His 4.02 career ERA doesn’t stand out as particularly impressive, but that’s skewed by a few bad years. He also has a very strong 49.2% groundball rate. A left-handed starter who generates groundballs seems custom made for Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees have expressed interest in Corbin before. Back in December, it was reported that New York scouted him for a potential trade. Corbin addressed this during his interview with Nightengale. “I know the Yankees have had some interest in the past, and there were a lot of rumors this winter that got my family excited,’’ he explained. “It would have been cool. You just want to go where you’re wanted, and every team will have an opportunity.”

While Corbin would be a terrific trade deadline acquisition for the Yankees, it’s no sure thing that he will be made available. The Diamondbacks lead the NL West, after all. If they keep up their impressive run, Arizona will figure to hang on to him. The Bombers, then, would have to wait until free agency to land the left-hander.

There remains a lot of baseball left to play in 2018, so who knows what will happen between now and the offseason. When the time does roll around, though, it will be worth keeping an eye on Corbin. Mutual interest exists between him and the team, so a deal could realistically come together.

What do you think? Would like to see Corbin pinstripes? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section!