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Washington Nationals: Six free agent starting pitchers to pursue

By Blake Finney

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 20: Starting pitcher Max Scherzer #31 of the Washington Nationals talks the mound for the start of the ninth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park on June 20, 2015 in Washington, DC. Scherzer threw a no hitter during the Nationals 6-0 win. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 20: Starting pitcher Max Scherzer #31 of the Washington Nationals talks the mound for the start of the ninth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Nationals Park on June 20, 2015 in Washington, DC. Scherzer threw a no hitter during the Nationals 6-0 win. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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Washington Nationals Patrick Corbin
PHOENIX, AZ – SEPTEMBER 17: Patrick Corbin #46 of the Arizona Diamondbacks delivers a first inning pitch against the Chicago Cubs at Chase Field on September 17, 2018, in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /

Patrick Corbin

Arguably the top free agent pitcher on the market, Patrick Corbin is not going to be short of suitors this winter. If the Washington Nationals can afford to go after him, it would be a huge boost to the rotation.

The left-hander is coming off a season where he went 11-7 with a 3.15 ERA while striking out 11.1 batters per nine innings. His career year led to his second All-Star selection after he was also picked for the mid-summer classic back in 2013 before undergoing Tommy John surgery.

It took Corbin a while to get back in the groove after the surgery, with an ERA of 5.15 and 4.03 in 2016 and 2017. However, the elite strikeout rate with low walk and home run rates gave him a FIP of 2.47 indicating his success is sustainable.

All the statistics show that he would be a fine addition to any team, and the Nats should make sure that it’s them he signs with. After the departure of Gio Gonzalez, Corbin would fill the left-handed starter void on the staff perfectly.

In MLBTradeRumors Top 50 Free Agent Predictions, they had Corbin going to the New York Yankees on a six-year, $129 million deal. That comes out to an average of $21.5 million per season, which seems fair for a great second starter in a rotation with the potential to be an ace.

There are no gripes about the cost of Corbin, however, the team he has been predicted to land on should be a worry for the Nationals. The left-hander has made no secret in himself being a Yankees fan, and the team also has a need in the rotation, so the match couldn’t be more perfect.

If somehow, Mike Rizzo can pry Corbin away from the Bronx, he would be a great acquisition for the team.

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