Yankees ready to turn up the heat on Patrick Corbin

The Yankees will get their shot to wine and dine Patrick Corbin on Thursday. Expect Brian Cashman to pressure his top free agent target.

Patrick Corbin made New York Yankees fans nervous this week when they learned he was visiting the Phillies before making his way to the Bronx. Now that he’s left Philadelphia without making a deal, the odds have swung back in New York’s favor.

Brian Cashman and his team will get their chance to pitch a deal to Corbin on Thursday. He and his representatives will visit with the Yankees then and there are no indications he is going to make any other free agency trips. It’s very possible Corbin’s final decision will come down to the Yankees, Phillies and Nationals.

You can safely expect the Yankees to do everything within their power to get Corbin to agree to a deal before he leaves town. Being his last visit was a bit of a risk by Cashman, but now it means the Yankees have the last chance to make a big impression before the talented southpaw makes a final decision. The front office will definitely roll the red carpet out for their top pitching target.

Of course, the bigger issue between the Yankees and Corbin is the potential length of his contract. It’s believed that Corbin and his representatives are looking for a six-year contract that will pay him more than $20 million per season. New York doesn’t have an issue with the deal’s annual value, but they are reluctant to hand a six-year contract to a pitcher who will be 30 years old next July.

Corbin’s lack of a track record might also give the organization some hesitation. This season was a career year for the Clay, NY native. He’s had some other good seasons, but it’s fair to say he’s hitting free agency at the perfect time. The Yankees seem willing to gamble on Corbin’s upward trajectory as a player, but they might not agree to ride that bet into his late 30s.

That fundamental disagreement over years makes Thursday’s visit even more important. Corbin has already gone on the record with his desire to pitch for the Yankees. That gives Cashman a real chance to appeal to his emotions while they are in the same room. Corbin’s agents will certainly do their best to help their client make a logical decision, but the Yankees will try hard to appeal to his desire to don pinstripes.

The bottom line is that the Yankees have a unique opportunity on Thursday to push Corbin into a quick decision. Look for Cashman and company to do everything they can to lock the left-hander up during his visit. Yankees fans should keep a close eye on news regarding the team’s final spot in the starting rotation over the next 24-48 hours. Things could move very quickly if Cashman gets his way.