Blue Jays: Patrick Corbin off to a strong start in the minors

With Trey Yesavage, Cody Ponce, Shane Beiber, and Jose Berrios all currently on the injured list, the Toronto Blue Jays' starting rotation is, to say the least, decimated.

That's why the Blue Jays signed Patrick Corbin, who made his first start in the minor leagues yesterday (Saturday), just hours after the announcement of his signing with Toronto.

Corbin hadn't been invited to spring training and hadn't signed a deal with a major league team this winter, but he was still hoping to get a call from a team in a bit of a bind—which is exactly what happened with the Jays.

And last night, he pitched five innings, allowing one unearned run, four hits, and striking out nine batters. Granted, it was an outing against 18- to 20-year-old Low-A players, but the innings pitched and his 74 pitches on the mound bode well for the future.

Patrick Corbin with a dominant Blue Jays debut!

5 IP | 0 ER | 4 H | 1 BB | 9 K pic.twitter.com/PyQOqdBQuf

— Dunedin Blue Jays (@DunedinBlueJays) April 4, 2026

It remains unclear whether he will make another start in the minors to continue his preparation or if he will join the Blue Jays as early as this week.

The 36-year-old has a career ERA of 4.51, but in four of the last five seasons, it has been above 5.20. His best season since the shortened 2020 campaign was last year, when he posted a 4.40 ERA.

He will certainly be able to log innings in Toronto, something the Jays desperately need, as throughout his career—with the exception of 2020—he has recorded eight consecutive seasons with more than 30 starts.

It will now be up to him to prove that he still has a place in the MLB and that he can help the Blue Jays navigate this injury-plagued stretch.

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