Patrick Corbin was the subject of some trade discussions this winter, as ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (subscription required) reports that the Nationals had talks with other teams about the veteran left-hander. It isn’t clear whether the Nats initiated these talks or if other teams were exploring Corbin’s availability, or if any of these discussions were anything beyond standard offseason “checking-in” types of conversations. It could be that teams were trying to buy low on Corbin in the wake of a down year that saw him post a 4.66 ERA, 20.3% strikeout rate, and a career-low 90.2 mph average fastball velocity over 65 2/3 innings. Between 2020’s shortened season and Corbin’s stint on the COVID-related injury list this April, it makes it hard to gauge whether or not Corbin’s struggles last year and in the early days of the 2021 season are truly due to a decline.
Trading Corbin would have been quite the pivot for a Washington team that planned on contending in 2021. It’s possible the Nats could have looked to add Major League-ready pieces rather than prospects in any Corbin deal, or perhaps moved the southpaw for a comparably high-priced proven veteran. Corbin is owed $106MM from 2021-24 in the four remaining seasons of his original six-year, $140MM free agent deal from the 2018-19 offseason. The topic of a Corbin trade could be worth revisiting of the Nationals don’t get into the playoff race and become sellers at the trade deadline, though Corbin’s contract would seemingly make him one of the less-likely Nats players to be dealt, considering how D.C. has so many rental players available.
More pitching-related items…
- Jake Odorizzi is being examined today after having to leave yesterday’s game after just five pitches. More will be known when tests are complete, but Astros GM James Click gave an optimistic view on the injury during an interview on the team’s pregame radio show today (hat tip to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle). “The initial read yesterday was more of a muscle cramp in the pronator muscle, which is not the flexor mass,” Click said.
- The Cubs announced that Ryan Tepera’s three-game suspension was reduced to two games on appeal, and the right-hander will begin serving his suspension today. Tepera’s suspension was issued earlier this month after an incident that saw Tepera throw behind the Brewers’ Brandon Woodruff.
- We’ll conclude this edition of Pitching Notes with an item on…an outfielder, sort of. Shohei Ohtani played an inning of left field, moving from DH to the grass at the end of the Angels’ 16-2 loss to the Astros yesterday. As Angels manager Joe Maddon told MLB.com’s Daniel Guerrero and other reporters, the move was made “out of necessity” due to a short-handed bench and outfielder Anthony Bemboom getting called to the mound for an inning of mop-up duty. There has often been speculation that Ohtani could be deployed in the outfield as a way of keeping him in the lineup and opening up Anaheim’s DH spot, but Maddon stressed that using Ohtani as a position player is “not part of the plans” going forward. Maddon did note, however, that Ohtani “is such a great athlete…I’m telling you he could do it.”
Ohtani is a pretty decent right fielder in ootp
Ohtani played 57 games in RF and 7 in LF in Japan.
Ah, those 57 games were in 2013……quite a compliment for somebody that other than this year hasn’t played the outfield grass in 8 seasons…….Plus, he had another 8 games or so in 2014….should we get the Gold Glove ready in addition to The Cy Young, American League MVP, and Silver Slugger?
Don’t leave off Executive of the Year and Manager of the Year
And a Grammy. The dude can spin with the best of them.
I hadn’t played outfield in almost 12 years, and I still managed to make a few decent catches. And I’m nowhere near the athlete Ohtani is. It’s not a difficult skill to pick up again, even after years of non use.
What isn’t clear is if Olney ever gets any news stories correct.
He makes stuff up. He has you believe every GM confides in him. His stories would be monster news. No credibility. The enquirer of baseball.
He talks to Rosenthal in the bathroom. They pass scoops back to each other.
Heads up, Angels fans… that’s Joe Maddon Speak for, “I’m going to try and convert Ohtani into a full-time OF’er instead of a DH when he’s not pitching.” Take it from us Cubs fans, once Joe has a “plan” for a player, he just does it.
why not have him in the outfield or at least try him out a couple of more times
I’m for it. Get it done, Joe. It would be great for my fantasy team if Ohtani could be used for more than just a UTIL spot.
Putting a player who’s coming off of arm problems in the OF to make more throws after pitching.
What could possibly go wrong?
Typical Joe Maddon move. Play someone out of position to get hurt.
Time for the Nats and Braves to rebuild.
And why would the young up and coming Braves need to rebuild???
Ohtani moved to the outfield out of necessity says Maddon. What’s the big deal. He’s a stud. On the field and at home apparently. Goooo Angels!
Still cant believe Odor(izzi) got the money he did
When you have to stretch the argument to “but he’s the best avail” it’s always a bad sign
Love seeing Houston self destruct…that McCullers contract is going to be terrible as well along with the Baez contract
Id like to call it Karma but these were just terrible calls…..perhaps they have to overpay now because nobody suitable wants to play for them?
Is there any factual based comment in the near future?
No one wants to play for them? Got any proof to back that up?
No he doesn’t. He obviously isn’t aware, or chooses not to take into account, that Houston is right up against the luxury tax (with stars needing to be paid), which is why no big players have been signed.
A- I said perhaps…… money ultimately talks so yes it was hyperbolic
B- Fact…No… but my opinion now, and at the time, was that Odorizzzi McCullers(extension) and Baez were going to be terrible inks .
C- I don’t revel in player failures particularly, but when it comes to the Astros its hard to keep a wry smile off the corner of my face –
D- Your franchise deserves whatever it gets this decade….that’s where Karma rears its head; And your GM is helping the cause along its way quickly so I applaud that as well today
E- Shallow….maybe….but I promise you my opinion would be 180 degrees different if your org woulda stood up like a man and just said Yes we cheated . You guys made this this bed, now….
Had the Astros been smart, like the Red Sox, they would have brought back Lunhow after his suspension. Cheating or no cheating the guy did a great job building a roster and a farm system.
As a Cubs fan, I really wanted the Cubs to move away from the Epstein cloud and hire Lunhow as GM/President of Baseball Ops. It’s my understanding Lunhow still doesn’t have a job and the Cubs still have an opening at GM. In my opinion, the Cubs need a new set of eyes to objectively look at their farm system and roster at this period of transition.
I think when you are looking at the decisions that need to be made regarding three All-Star caliber players (four if you want to throw Contreras into the mix) you need some objectivity vs. having the same core group making the decisions on the future of the franchise.
Rumor has it that the Yankees and particularly the Dodgers wanted to get rid of Luhnow. So no, he is not coming back to baseball. He did some consultant work for A-Rod and JenLo when they tried to buy the Mets.
He settled out of court a lawsuit brought against Crane and is currently a partner in a team in a different sport. I guess he is doing fine. He is sorely missed in Houston.
I disagree respectfully drasco but solid post nonetheless-
My plan of action for the Astros would have been to rid the Astros of anything major connected to 2015-2019
Admit You cheated
Wipe the Front office of the bad apples –
Not sign Springer- Mission accomplished
Trade Correa preseason
Get an innovative trade for Altuves underwater…just screams Arte with a JUp + prospects for Altuve – (He’d waive his NT, his wife would fit out here in Socal perfectttttttly )
Get a Haul for Bregman to expedite the rebuild
**Abolish the stain before it sets in too deep
In their defense a wide open Division makes this a lot harder not to go for it . But for me its more about optics and moving on than the 21 pennant in the end. Id take my timeout in the shadows and build up the next great Astros team
Americans forgive quickly but they want a cleanly shaven remorseful hero