Washington Nationals Veteran Opens Up About Potential Last Appearance With Team
The last six years have provided plenty of ups and downs for Washington Nationals veteran starting pitcher Patrick Corbin.
In his first season with the club in 2019, he was integral to the team taking home the World Series. In the first year of a six-year, $140 million deal, he came out of the bullpen in Game 7 to seal the deal.
“We don’t win without him,” manager Dave Martinez has said time and time again over the last few years, referring to that performance from the veteran lefty.
Of course, that reassurance and reminder from the manager was necessary as Corbin hit some very low lows in recent seasons.
From 2021 and 2022, he led MLB in losses with 16 and 19. In 2023, he was atop the National League in losses with 15. Since 2020, he has surrendered the most hits in baseball three times; 2020, 2022 and 2024.
In three out of the last four seasons, the most earned runs given up have been charged to Corbin. During the 2021 season, he surrendered a staggering 37 home runs, which was the most in the NL.
His production after that incredible run to the World Series has never been the same. But, on September 26th after Martinez walked to the mound to remove Corbin from the game after 5.1 innings, the fans made sure he knew how much they appreciated him.
In what was very likely his final start with the franchise, he received a standing ovation.
“It was cool,” Corbin said via Jessica Camerato of MLB.com. “Half my career, I’ve been here. I got to experience a lot with the fans, and they’ve supported us throughout the years that I’ve been here. So nothing but love toward them, and that was really special.”
He finished the start surrendering four earned runs on six hits and one walk with three strikeouts. The Kansas City Royals won the game 7-4, so it wasn’t the perfect ending to his tenure with the franchise.
But, it isn’t an experience he would trade for anything in the world.
“The last six years have gone by fairly quick, looking back now,” Corbin said. “I enjoyed every second of it, don’t regret anything, enjoyed my time here. Obviously, to win a World Series, start a family and get to meet all you guys, it was great. … Probably these last couple days, maybe say some goodbyes to people that I haven’t really got to talk to as much. I wouldn’t take anything back. It’s been great, learned a lot -- highs and lows -- but loved every second of it.”
The veteran ends his six-year stint in Washington with a 47-77 record and 5.11 ERA. While his production wasn’t where he or the franchise would have liked, the contributions he made en route to a championship make it all worthwhile.
