The Washington Nationals should release pitcher Patrick Corbin – today. Pack up his World Series ring, wish him well and move on, because keeping Corbin does no good.
Corbin fell to 1-9 after surrendering four runs in a loss to the New York Mets on Wednesday. Since the 2019 World Series, Corbin is 27-57 with a 5-plus ERA, the highest of any MLB starter over five seasons. Corbin allowed more hits than anyone in the Covid-shortened 2020 season, and had more losses in 2021 and ’22 than anyone, including 19 in the second season. He allowed the most runs both years, and most hits in 2022.
It has just been awful. Oh, occasionally he’ll throw a decent game. Corbin allowed one run against Arizona on June 19 and two runs versus Cleveland on May 31. But, it’s just a rare tease.
The best thing about Corbin? He gives Washington five innings or more consistently. His 105 innings this season are MLB’s second most. So, at least he doesn’t chew up the bullpen. But, the games are already lost midway.
Why are the Nats still using him? Please don’t say they don’t want to eat an awful contract. Corbin signed a six-year, $140 million deal in 2019 and it haunts them nearly as much as the Stephen Strasburg debacle. At least Strasburg has injuries as an excuse. Corbin has none.
Corbin’s deal ends after this season, though the team will still owe him $10 million in deferred money. The team is paying $15 million to Max Scherzer this year, too. That’s one costly mound producing one win for Washington this season.
The thought that Corbin might as well stay because Washington has to pay him doesn’t count the demoralizing impact on a young team. The Nats were only going to be a .500 team at best this year, but there’s no reason to count on an automatic loss every time a 34-year-old pitcher takes the mound.
Better to give a young prospect a chance. It really can’t be any worse. If the prospect stinks, well at least they know that. There’s no future insight for Corbin to display. He’s gone come October no matter what.
The talk that Corbin saves the team from paying some part of the $740,000 minimum for someone else to pitch instead of Corbin is a chump-change cheapskate of an excuse. The Nats could have free admission and still make money thanks to TV revenues, so let them burn a few bucks if needed.
The Corbin debacle is remindful of the Baltimore Orioles buying out slugger Chris Davis’ $161 million deal. Davis went from All-star to no stars as a strikeout king. The O’s took a contract with one year remaining worth $21 million in 2022 and transformed it into four years of deferred payments, and didn't say strikeout four times per game since it was paying him.
With the All-Star game on July 16, now is the time to reset for the season’s second half. It does no one any good to watch this train wreck. The money has been spent already. The Nats just need to move on instead of wasting another three months on Corbin.