Patrick Corbin, the prized starting pitcher in free agency, ended up with the Nationals, while the Yankees chose to spend their offseason spreading their money around at numerous targets primarily in their rotation, bullpen and infield.
The November trade for James Paxton from Seattle was a significant part of that strategy and the 30-year-old lefty gets his first chance on showing what kind of an impact he can make when he makes his debut for the Yankees on Saturday against the Orioles.
“I’m excited, nervous, all of it,’’ Paxton said Thursday at Yankee Stadium, where the Yankees opened their season with a win over Baltimore.