Cincinnati Reds: What does Patrick Corbin’s deal mean for the team?

Patrick Corbin, arguably the best starting pitcher on the market, signed a deal with the Washington Nationals. What does that mean for the Cincinnati Reds?

The Washington Nationals made the biggest signing of the offseason thus far by inking left-handed starter Patrick Corbin to a six-year deal. Corbin didn’t come cheap, as the reported deal is worth $140 million. There was no way Cincinnati was going to pony up that kind of dough for Corbin, but what does the deal mean for the Cincinnati Reds going forward?

Patrick Corbin was the No. 1 starter available on the market this offseason. While others could make the argument for Dallas Keuchel, Corbin seemed to be favorite among most baseball experts, and for good reason. Corbin posted a 3.17 ERA in 200 innings of work with a record of 11-7.

So, with the No. 1 starter off the market, where do the Reds turn? First, there was no way Cincinnati was going to drop $140 million on one pitcher. Especially a pitcher with a history of injury. Corbin missed the entire 2014 season and part of the 2015 season with Tommy John surgery. I suspect the Reds will tread lightly when it comes to paying big money to pitchers with an injury history due to their current situation with Homer Bailey.

So, the next pitching dominoes that appear ready to fall are Dallas Keuchel and Nathan Eovaldi. Both are on that next tier of starting pitchers, and Keuchel has been linked to Cincinnati on a few occasions over the past week. While the details of Corbin’s deal have yet to be disclosed, his average salary is $23 million per year.

What might an average salary for Keuchel or Eovaldi look like? You’d have to think that Keuchel could get in the neighborhood of $20 million per season. Would a 4 year/ $80-million contract be enough to land Keuchel? Or, could Cincinnati go a little cheaper with Eovaldi for maybe 3 years at $50 million?

The bigger story might not be what the Reds are willing to pay to get one of the top-level starters available, but what are other teams willing to pay now that Corbin is off the market? Teams like the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies, who have more money to spend than the Cincinnati Reds, may be more inclined to increase their offers to players like Keuchel and Eovaldi since they missed out on Corbin.

J.A. Happ, another rumored target of the Reds, played the Yankees last season and was quite successful during his short time in the Bronx. After not landing Corbin, are the Yanks more likely to re-sign Happ?

The bottomline is, unless the Cincinnati Reds want to find a true ace for their staff via trade, they’re going to have to enter the fray with the remaining free agent starters. Reds fans are dying for their team to make a splash in free agency and land a top-notch starter. With Corbin now signed, the market has been set. It’s time to get the pitching.