Washington Nationals news & notes: Patrick Corbin makes final start of six-year deal in D.C.

Notes and quotes on Patrick Corbin’s time in the nation’s capital…

“We don’t win the World Series without him, honestly,” Davey Martinez told reporters when he was asked last month to assess Patrick Corbin’s performance over the course of his six-year/$140M deal with the Nationals (2019-2024).

In the first year of his deal, Corbin did his part to help bring a World Series championship to the nation’s capital for the first time since 1924.

While acknowledging Corbin’s struggles in the subsequent seasons, Martinez said, it’s the run to the World Series with the lefty in the rotation, and coming out of the bullpen in the postseason that he’ll remember when he thinks about their time together in D.C.

“He was part of an unbelievable team, and he did a lot of great things for us,” the skipper said. “I asked him to do some tough things, going into the bullpen, and he did it with no quarrels, and did it well. Game 7, threw three innings for us.

“He’s the reason why we’ve got that trophy in the Champion’s club.”

While the results were what they were (which is as close as we’ll get to saying it is what it is), Corbin took the ball when it was his turn in the rotation throughout his tenure as part of the starting rotation.

“For me, every time he goes out to pitch I know what I’m going to get from him, right?” Martinez asked rhetorically.

“I mean, good or bad, he’s going to take the ball and give us what he can every fifth day, so I don’t know what’s going to happen this winter, he knows how I feel about him. I’ve never given up on him as he knows. But he’s meant a lot to this team, I mean, we don’t win a World Series without him. I’m glad he’s here, he’s still got some starts with us, so we’re going to finish the season and see where we’re at.”

Corbin talked after his 31st start of the season last week (which left him with a 5.58 ERA, a 4.39 FIP, 53 walks (2.82 BB/9), 136 Ks (7.23 K/9), and a .299/.349/.489 line against in 169 ¹⁄₃ innings pitched), about where he was at going into what was likely to be his final start for the Nationals.

“I feel great physically,” the 35-year-old southpaw said. “It’s kind of just maybe looking back at the last six years here. It’s kind of gone pretty quick. May be the last one in D.C. We’ll see. I’m excited to get to pitch one more time there and hopefully end on a good note and see what happens.”

Before start No. 32, Martinez talked about the numbers Corbin put up after getting off to the good start in 2019. They were, of course, not what anyone hoped for, which both the starter and his manager have acknowledged over the years, and the skipper said he knows that it’s been difficult at times.

“It definitely — it kills him, right? He wants to go out there and compete, he wants to go out there and help us win games,” Martinez explained. “But like I said, the fact that he goes out there and does what he does and gives us the innings that he gives us — every year it was the same. No matter what, the guy was going to take the ball every five days. It was guaranteed. He didn’t complain about anything, he didn’t bitch about anything. He is unbelievable.”

Corbin went 5 ¹⁄₃ innings on Thursday, giving up six hits, a walk, and four earned runs in a 73-pitch, 49-strike, three-K outing in what ended up a 7-4 loss, which gave Kansas City all three games in the series in Nationals Park.

“I know he would have loved to have won more games. But I can tell you right now, he’s a guy that you can count on,” Martinez said after the outing.

“I’m really proud of him, because there have been a lot of guys out there who’ve gone through what he went through and probably would have shut it down. He didn’t.

“Every five days he got the ball and he was out there. Very proud of him, and whatever happens, I enjoyed my time with him, and I know we’ll always stay close.”

“I’m so happy that I was able to be a part of his career.”

“These last six years have gone by fairly quickly, looking back now,” Corbin said after his last start of 2024. “But enjoyed every second of it, don’t regret anything, enjoyed my time here.

“And obviously to win the World Series, start a family and get to meet all you guys. So it was great. I really enjoyed it all.”

“I wouldn’t take anything back, it’s been great.”

Martinez pulled his starter from the mound when he did, at least in part, to give the fans in the ballpark an opportunity to show Corbin they appreciated what he did for the club.

“It’s almost like I didn’t want to take him out, you know. But I think he understood. And like I said, I couldn’t be happier for him or his family. And I know this ain’t the last of Patrick. Like I said, he’ll be a free agent, but who knows what’s going to happen. But he’s done well.”

“That was cool,” Corbin said of the send-off. “I kind of maybe thought something — Davey might come out in that situation there. But yeah, I think that might be my first one of those. But it was cool. I mean, it’s 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 towards them and that was really special.”

“The fans standing up there was pretty special.”

“Thank you to the fans for doing that.”