Washington Nationals news & notes: Patrick Corbin and his cutter + James Wood homers again…

Notes and quotes from Patrick Corbin’s second start of the spring…

CORBIN’S CUTTER:

Patrick Corbin has been toying with the idea of adding a cutter to the mix since at least the winter of 2021, when he picked up some tips on grips for the pitch from future Hall of Fame pitcher Max Scherzer as they worked out together in Florida.

“I like to just see what he’s thinking with his cutter, he throws about 3-4 different ones, the zones in which he does,” Corbin explained at the time.

“Just talking with Max, playing catch with him, he kind of showed me how he throws his,” Corbin said, “… and how he throws multiple different types of cutters, so it was just something — I always thought I wanted something around 77-ish [MPH], give or take, a little bit off my fastball, harder than my slider, something to maybe — I throw one less pitch to each hitter, so that’s kind of the idea behind that.”

His manager said at the time he liked what he saw from Corbin early in his Grapefruit League outings that spring.

“I think it’s something, one he can throw backdoor to righties,” Davey Martinez said, “… or he can actually — something a little harder than a slider. He throws a hard slider, but something that stays on the plane like his fastball, that can get in on righties as well.

“Instead of always throwing the sinker in with the slider in, this is something else that he can add, and like I said, he’s throwing it well.”

Corbin used it in Spring Training, but, at least according to Basball Savant, he still has not thrown a single cutter in a regular season game, but it’s something he’s still trying to work into the mix again this spring.

“I think something resonated with him last year about keeping the ball down,”Martinez said early in the process. “He’s working both sides of the plate, but really emphasizing trying to keep the ball down. I know he added a cutter in the mix, and so far it’s been really good, so I’m really looking forward to him using it during these games down here in Spring Training and seeing where he’s at.”

Corbin finished up his 2023 campaign with a 5.20 ERA, 5.28 FIP, 57 walks (2.85 BB/9), 124 Ks (6.20 K/9), a .293/.344/.481 line against, and 33 homers allowed in 180 IP (1.65 HR/9), and he’s heading into the sixth season of his 6-year/$140M deal in D.C. looking to bounce back after some rough years following 2019’s World Series championship.

After a tough, high-pitch count initial outing this spring, Corbin put together a solid start his second time out on Thursday afternoon against St. Louis’s Cardinals giving up three hits in three scoreless innings in which he struck out four, one on his cutter, which he threw seven times (17%) total in the appearance.

“I’m pleased with it so far,” Corbin said afterwards, as quoted by MASN’s Mark Zuckerman:

“I think the movement and location’s pretty good. I think as we continue to go, hopefully, the velo goes up a little bit (it averaged 85.5 mph today). But I think overall pretty sharp, and I’ve been locating that pitch up to this point, so I’m happy with it.”

ALSO THIS:

James Wood did it again… hitting his third home run of the spring on Thursday, following up on a HR by Lane Thomas to start the game.

Wood, 21, and a 2021 2nd Round pick by the Padres acquired in the Juan Soto (and Josh Bell) trade with San Diego, is now 7 for 14 with the three home runs, three walks, and two strikeouts in six games.

Manager Davey Martinez said he wants to see Wood out there as often as possible so he’s tested against big league competition.

“I want to get him up there,” Martinez said, as quoted on MASN. “I want him to see some big league pitching, and just see how he reacts to it.”