Mounting Injuries Force Blue Jays To Sign Veteran Pitcher Patrick Corbin
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As spring training started, the Toronto Blue Jays looked like they were well on their way to another incredible season. After coming just short of winning the World Series during 2025, the Blue Jays strengthened the team during the offseason.
Things can change in a hurry, and Toronto is the poster child for how fast circumstances can go downhill in the MLB.
Blue Jays Sign Yet Another Pitcher
The Blue Jays announced today that they have signed Patrick Corbin to a one-year deal and optioned him to the Dunedin Blue Jays to get a start on building up his arm.
This wasn’t a move just to add another piece; this was made in desperation. They needed him.
A wave of early-season injuries has already tested Toronto’s pitching staff, one that looked to be one of the best in MLB before the season started.
Now the organization has been forced to act quickly to reinforce pitching depth.
Injuries Piling Up
The Blue Jays pitching staff has been hit hard in the 2026 season. Among the key arms currently sidelined are:
- Trey Yesavage — 15-day IL; right shoulder impingement
- Cody Ponce — 15-day IL; right knee ACL sprain
- Shane Bieber — 15-day IL; right elbow inflammation
- Yimi Garcia — rehabbing from 2025 elbow surgery
- Jose Berrios — 15-day IL; right elbow stress fracture
- Bowden Francis — out for 2026 season; UCL reconstruction
This is not simply depth being tested; it is literally the foundation of the staff being sidelined.
During the offseason, Toronto had made several moves to ensure its pitching staff would be strong.
Cody Ponce was added as a depth starter option who could add value. Shane Bieber brought high upside to the rotation as a former Cy Young winner.
The Blue Jays were serious about making sure they had strong pitchers and a lot of depth to their rotation. Now, looking at the IL, signing another pitcher was a must.
Veteran Who Can Still Provide Value
While the 36-year-old left-hander likely is not in his prime, he still has a resume that can add value to the team. At his peak, Corbin was a 200-inning starter with a high-strikeout arm. He had a 3.15 ERA in 2018 and a 3.25 ERA in 2019, with multiple seasons with 200+ strikeouts.
Corbin has recently proved he is still quite valuable as a depth piece that can be relied upon. In 2025, he pitched 155.1 innings with a 4.40 ERA with the Texas Rangers.
What This Means for Toronto
While Corbin won’t likely be known as a star in Toronto, he can be known for being a solution. He provides the Blue Jays with an experienced option waiting in the wings if he is needed.
The current rotation includes Kevin Gausman, Dylan Cease, Eric Lauer and Max Scherzer. Overall, the starting pitchers have performed well for Toronto, but the team has already lost three games - two of which were to the Colorado Rockies in Toronto.
The bottom line is that the Blue Jays have been tested already this year, just a few games in, with significant injuries adding up. Corbin was a great option to add, not to carry the team, but certainly could be an important piece as the season progresses.
Laura Lambert resides in Wiggins, Colo. with her husband, Ricky and two sons, Brayden and Boedy. She attended the University of Northern Colorado while studying economics. She is an accomplished rodeo athlete and barrel horse trainer along with being a life-long sports fan. Over the years, Laura has been active in journalism in a variety of roles. While continuing to cover western sports and country music, she is currently enjoying expanding her reach into multiple sports including MLB, NFL, and WNBA. Laura covers the Washington Nationals, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies, Toronto Blue Jays, and Rodeo for On SI. You can reach her at lauralambertmedia@gmail.com