Wire Taps: Do the Washington Nationals need Bryce Harper?; Patrick Corbin takes + Limiting shifts is stupids...

Washington’s deal with Patrick Corbin hasn’t been officially announced, but there are likely physicals to be taken and lines to be signed ... on. Anyway. There are plenty of takes to be read on the Nationals’ big move to bolster the rotation, and what it means for Bryce Harper going forward. Will the Nationals blow past the $206M luxury tax threshold and sign their 2010 No. 1 overall pick to the mega-deal he’s after? Do they need Harper? FiveThirtyEight weighed in on that topic...

Go read your links and stop bothering us:

NATS BEAT:

What's next for Nationals this offseason? - (MLB.com)
"Put it this way, the Nationals have committed about $43 million to the five players they have added this offseason -- Corbin, Kyle Barraclough, Trevor Rosenthal, Kurt Suzuki and Yan Gomes. But they gained about $62 million from last year's payroll..."

Justin Miller excited to be back with Nationals for 2019 - (MASN)
"On Sunday at Nats Winterfest, Miller said he was thankful for his season and do have an offseason where he knew he would be back with the Nats again."

THE NatsGM Show #140 – Guest Adam McInturff - (NatsGM)
"On this episode Adam and I take a deep dive into the recent Nationals’ acquisition of Yan Gomes."

What does the Patrick Corbin signing mean for the rest of the Nationals’ rotation? - (WaPost)
"There are many ways the Nationals can address their rotation from here. Tanner Roark is the logical fourth starter, while the fifth spot is not as clear-cut."

NATIONAL(S) BEAT:

Patrick Corbin signing marks latest push by Nationals to build championship rotation - (Sporting News)
"It hasn’t worked for the Nationals — ever — but the front office is determined to give it another shot."

The Nationals signed Patrick Corbin to a huge contract, and here’s what’s likely to happen - (SBNation.com)
"The Nationals are the likeliest team to go bananas for a free agent now. The Nationals gave Corbin about $50 million more than most folks predicted."

Nationals’ Signing of Patrick Corbin Proves Yankees Can Be Outbid - (New York Times)
"When the first big free-agent domino fell on Tuesday, the biggest surprise was not that Patrick Corbin landed a six-year, $140 million contract, it was the team with which he signed it."

BRYCE HARPER BEAT:

The Nationals Don’t Need Bryce Harper - (FiveThirtyEight)
”The best thing to happen to the Washington Nationals this offseason might be Bryce Harper turning down the $300 million contract offered by the club at the end of the season.”

How does Corbin signing impact quest for Bryce? - (NBC Sports Washington)
"On Tuesday, the Nationals signed pitcher Patrick Corbin to a six-year, $140 million deal. Grant Paulsen takes a look how this impacts the Nats' quest to re-sign star outfielder Bryce Harper."

Bryce Harper arrived as a massive promise. If he leaves the Nationals, what will his legacy be? - (WaPost)
"Now, more than six years since his major league debut, and more than two months since what could have been his final game in a Nationals uniform, Harper may stray from the only city in which he has ever played as a professional..."

Does Corbin joining Nats signal end of Harper’s time in D.C.? - (ESPN)
”Signing Patrick Corbin doesn’t mean the Nationals are done with Bryce Harper. But it is one more sign that they’re more than prepared for life without him.”