In desperate need of a win, the Washington Nationals got a gem from starter Patrick Corbin, leading to a 5-1 win over the New York Mets.
The Washington Nationals needed a win in the worst way Wednesday night, and they just happened to have the right man on the mound. Patrick Corbin dominated once again, striking out 11 in eight outstanding innings leading Washington to a 5-1 win over the Mets.
For the second straight start, Corbin carried the team from the first pitch, continuing his extremely impressive start to the 2019 season. The left-hander has posted a 2.91 E.R.A. in nine starts and struck out 69 batters in 58.2 innings. His 69 strikeouts are third best in the National League, behind two starters on his own team in Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg.
A compelling argument can be made that Corbin has easily been the best starter in the Washington rotation. The former All-Star has gone at least six innings in all but one of his starts this season and has gone seven or more four times.
In a year where the Nationals are having tremendous struggles in the bullpen, it is vital Washington’s starters go deep into games, and Corbin is doing just that.
Corbin has recorded eight quality starts out of his first nine, a pace to have a Cy Young caliber season. Before the season began there is no way you would have said that the left-hander Corbin is the best pitcher in the Nationals rotation, but this narrative is slowly becoming reality.
When watching him on the mound you can just see the competitor Corbin is. He keeps Washington in the game almost every time he touches the mound, and when his slider is on like it was Wednesday night, well good luck.
For years the Washington Nationals have had a defensive ace in their rotation, Max Scherzer. While Scherzer clearly is still an All-Star level pitcher, Patrick Corbin slowly is sneaking up as possibly the most impressive out of Washington’s talented trio.