Nationals Reunite with World Series Hero to Open Series with Rangers

For six years, the Washington Nationals and left-hander Patrick Corbin were joined at the hip.

The Nationals signed him to a six-year deal worth $140 million before the 2019 season, making him one of the final pieces to their World Series team. He went 14-7 with a 3.25 ERA that season and recorded the win in Game 7 of the World Series, as the Nationals defeated the Houston Astros.

That was the high point. The low point was the next five years. Corbin reliably took the ball every fifth day, but the Nationals were gutted after the World Series and went into a rebuilding mode. Eventually, that reflected on Corbin’s potential trade value and Washington was never able to move him.

Corbin never had a .500 season after his 2019 campaign, the closest being his 10-15 season in 2023. His ERA was over 4.50 each season. When last season ended it was clear Washington wasn’t going to re-sign him.

In fact, it took until late March for him to find a Major League deal. The Texas Rangers were desperate for healthy pitching. Corbin, now 35 years old, just wanted a chance.

The marriage has worked. On Friday, the Nats will see Corbin for the first time since he left the Nationals.

Patrick Corbin Leads off Rangers-Nationals Series

Corbin has figured it out with the Rangers. He has a 3-4 record and a 3.71 ERA, which right now would be his lowest since the 2019 season. He has 41 strikeouts and 18 walks in 53.1 innings. As Nationals fans would expect, he hasn’t missed a start since he entered the rotation.

He’ll face Nationals right-hander Michael Soroka (2-3, 5.91) in Friday’s game. He missed a month with an injury, but he’s returned to strike out 28 and walked six in 31 innings. He’s trying to prove to teams that he can be a starter again after missing the 2021 and 2022 seasons with an Achilles injury.

Saturday’s game sees the Nationals send left-hander Mitchell Parker (4-5, 4.71) to the mound against Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom (5-2, 2.34).

Parker is struggling. He is 1-4 in his last seven starts with a 7.99 ERA. In 12 starts this season he has 42 strikeouts and 28 walks in 65 innings.

deGrom has one of the best ERAs in the American League and is 5-1 in his last seven starts with a 1.70 ERA. In 12 starts he has 66 strikeouts and 17 walks in 69.1 innings.

Washington’s Trevor Williams will start in Sunday’s finale against Texas’ Tyler Mahle in a duel of right-handers.

Williams (3-6, 6.03) is 2-4 in his last seven starts with a 6.99 ERA. He has 47 strikeouts and 16 walks in 59.2 innings in 12 starts.

Mahle (5-3, 2.02), like deGrom, is among the AL’s ERA leaders. He has 53 strikeouts and 26 walks in 71.1 innings and 13 starts.