Just like in 2025, injuries have created a precarious position for the Blue Jays. And just like last season, Toronto dipped into the free agent pool to make an in-season acquisition. Patrick Corbin, who spent 2025 with the Rangers, signed with the Jays on April 3.
A Look at Move
After a difficult slog during the latter stages of his career with the Nationals, the Rangers signed veteran pitcher Patrick Corbin late in the spring of 2025. However, Texas had optimism with the lefty — and he mostly came through.
Across 31 outings and 155 innings, Corbin posted a 4.40 ERA and struck out 131 batters over that span with Texas. The left-hander accumulated a lot of innings, as he filled a hole in the back-end of the Rangers’ rotation.
His .328 wOBA ranked 94th out of the 126 starting pitchers who tossed at least 100 innings last season.
Rangers baseball operations head Chris Young stated in March 2025, when Corbin was signed, that the organization liked the tweaks that were made by Corbin. Late in his tenure with the Nationals, the left-hander — who had long been a sinker/slider pitcher — added that pitch to his arsenal. And it made a difference.
Granted, it wasn’t a cataclysmic one in the sense that it didn’t turn Corbin back into the ace that he was for much of the 2010s. However, it gave the left-hander a much-needed pitch to use against right-handed hitters. It didn’t generate a ton of pop-ups but it was used, and it was used a lot.
As a matter of fact, it wasn’t the only adjustment that Corbin made. Not only did that cutter become Corbin’s most-used pitch down the stretch but the veteran pitcher also regularly used his changeup more.
His changeup is a low-to-mid-80s MPH pitch, differing off the fastball by about seven to 10 MPH.
Per an official team announcement, the Blue Jays signed Patrick Corbin to a one-year deal worth $1MM.
Analysis
Toronto’s rotation needs bodies right now.
The Blue Jays are currently dealing with a rash of injuries, as Jose Berrios and Shane Bieber started on the IL, as did Trey Yesavage. As of this writing, Yesavage is currently with Low-A Dunedin on a rehab assignment. But even when he returns, Yesavage’s workload will likely be limited significantly.
Additionally, the Jays’ rotation took another hit when Cody Ponce suffered an ACL sprain. He’s expected to miss significant time this season.
This move, on paper, has more safety compared to when Toronto brought in Spencer Turnbull last year. The Blue Jays were in a similar spot, and Turnbull didn’t pitch well with the club.
Corbin is a junk pitcher in the sense that he won’t blow anyone away. However, the adjustments that the new Blue Jay made over the past two years have given him new life. His swing-and-miss rate jumped significantly last year. And, realistically, all he has to do is eat innings and keep games close.
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