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Washington Nationals: Patrick Corbin Has Found His Groove

By Matt Holleran

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 02: Starting pitcher Patrick Corbin #45 of the Washington Nationals looks on in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Nationals Park on July 02, 2019 in Washington, DC. Corbin was wearing #45 in memory of pitcher Tyler Skaggs of the Los Angeles Angels who was found dead on July 1, 2019. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 02: Starting pitcher Patrick Corbin #45 of the Washington Nationals looks on in the first inning against the Miami Marlins at Nationals Park on July 02, 2019 in Washington, DC. Corbin was wearing #45 in memory of pitcher Tyler Skaggs of the Los Angeles Angels who was found dead on July 1, 2019. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /
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After a tough stretch in late-May to early-June, Washington Nationals’ starter Patrick Corbin has regained his early-season form.

On May 25, Patrick Corbin tossed a complete game shutout against the Miami Marlins. At the time the Nationals’ left-hander was 5-2 with a 2.85 ERA.

Corbin was pitching like one of the best starters in all of baseball and was proving to be worth every bit of money the Nationals gave him this past offseason. He was even a darkhorse Cy Young contender at that time, but then something flipped.

Over his next three starts, Corbin gave up 20 runs, walked seven batters, and lost all three decisions. Corbin’s ERA had skyrocketed from the stellar 2.85 to an alarming 4.11. He looked nothing like the pitcher we had seen in the first two months of the season, and many questioned what was wrong.

Could the Nationals have just gotten themselves into a six-year deal with a pitcher who cannot be consistent? Would Corbin ever be able to regain his form and help make Washington the best rotation in all of baseball like they were supposed to be?

Well, all these questions were answered in his next four starts. Since giving up seven runs against the Chicago White Sox on June 11, Corbin has gone seven innings in all four of his starts, and most importantly Washington has won all four of those games.

A brief mechanical change has seemed to revitalize Corbin and turn him into the All-Star pitcher he was prior to his rough stint.

The former All-Star has not allowed more than one run since that game in Chicago and has struck out 35 batters in 28 innings during this red-hot streak. He has lowered his ERA from 4.11 to 3.34 and has helped the Nationals come back from the grave to be in a position to make the postseason.

Starting Fast Critical Against Phillies. dark. Next

If the Nationals want to reach the lofty goals they had set for themselves before the season, they need Patrick Corbin to be at his best. If he continues to pitch close to the way he has in his last four starts for the rest of the season, the Nationals are going to be tough to beat.

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