On Thursday afternoon, Washington Nationals starting pitcher Patrick Corbin recorded his 100th career win in the team’s 8-3 home victory over the Colorado Rockies. The 35-year-old starter went six innings, allowed only one run, struck out eight batters, and even got a huge amount of run support en route to career win No. 100, despite all the obstacles he has faced the past few seasons with the Nationals organization.
SURE DID!! pic.twitter.com/vG1MNmlxom
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) August 22, 2024
Nationals Starter Patrick Corbin Reaches 100th Career Win
While 100 career wins look great on Corbin’s resumé, the majority of his Washington tenure has not been too impressive. The veteran lefty looked stellar in his first year with the team back in 2019, as he helped lead them to their first World Series title in franchise history. Since then, however, he has failed to live up to the six-year, $140 million contract he signed in December of 2018 with five abysmal seasons stat-wise since 2020.
Corbin’s Struggles in Recent Seasons
Corbin had a strong 2019 campaign, going 14-7 with a 3.25 ERA, 238 strikeouts, and a 1.183 WHIP, but it’s been all downhill for him since. In a COVID-shortened 2020 season, he went 2-7 with a 4.66 ERA, 60 Ks, and a 1.569 WHIP. 2021 was a return to a full season, but Corbin still went 9-16 with a 5.82 ERA, 143 Ks, and a 1.468 WHIP. In a 2022 season where the Nationals were the worst team in the league, the starter went an abysmal 6-19 with a 6.31 ERA, 128 Ks, and a 1.697 WHIP. 2023 was a slight improvement for Corbin, as he went 10-15 with a 5.20 ERA, 124 Ks, and a 1.483 WHIP.
In 2024, Corbin only needed three wins on the mound to reach his 100th victory, and it took him until August 22 against the Rockies to accomplish that feat. His three wins this season are overshadowed by 12 losses, a 5.73 ERA, 107 Ks, and a 1.54 WHIP, which puts him in line to lead the NL in losses for the fourth straight year just before his massive contract expires.
Washington’s Post-World Series Rebuilding Process
Corbin is currently one of the longest-tenured Nationals since the ballclub’s 2019 World Series championship, which he played a major part in by securing the win in Game 7 over the Houston Astros. Over the course of five years, Washington has seen massive changes to its roster, with key players like Max Scherzer, Trea Turner, and Juan Soto getting traded, Stephen Strasburg declining health-wise and eventually retiring, and notable other teammates from 2019 either joining other teams or retiring. In the process, the Nationals have acquired players like CJ Abrams, James Wood, Jacob Young, and Lane Thomas (who is no longer on the team).
Corbin has also had numerous spots in the Nationals’ rotation over the years, whether it was No. 1, No. 3, or No. 5. He has shared that rotation with notable pitchers such as Scherzer, Strasburg, Erick Fedde, Anibal Sanchez, Joe Ross, Josiah Gray, Jon Lester, Joan Adon, MacKenzie Gore, Jake Irvin, and Mitchell Parker. Corbin even had some bullpen experience in five of eight games during Washington’s 2019 postseason run, but has not had relief appearances since.
Corbin’s Pre-Nationals Tenure
The 35-year-old Corbin previously spent his major league career with the Arizona Diamondbacks from 2012 to 2018. He was a two-time All-Star with the D-Backs in 2013 and 2018 before joining the Nationals in 2019.
Photo Credit: © Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
