Former All-Star closes book on disastrous Washington Nationals tenure

On Thursday, Patrick Corbin pitched what could be his final game for the Washington Nationals and possibly his MLB career.

The 35-year-old left-hander lasted 5 1/3 innings against the playoff-bound Kansas City Royals, allowing four runs on six hits with one walk and three strikeouts. When manager Dave Martinez removed him from the game early in the sixth, Corbin may have walked off a major league mound for the last time.

Corbin received light applause from the approximately 14,000 fans in attendance. In return, he gave his cap to the crowd at Nationals Park and thanked them for their support and appreciation.

The two-time All-Star will be a free agent this winter, but the Nationals are unlikely to bring him back after half a decade of dismal performance. Given his age and terrible performance, it’s also hard to imagine another team signing him.

Regardless of whether he continues to play or retires, Corbin will be remembered as one of the worst free agent signings in MLB history.

In December 2018, Washington signed a six-year, $140 million contract instead of extending Bryce Harper, who signed a record deal with the Philadelphia Phillies three months later. Corbin was only 29 years old at the time and finished fifth in the NL Cy Young voting for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The move paid immediate dividends for the Nationals, who already had an excellent rotation with Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Anibal Sanchez. Corbin went 14-7 with a 3.25 ERA and helped Washington to its first World Series win in franchise history that fall against the Houston Astros.

However, things immediately went downhill for Corbin and the Nationals. Injuries, trades and free-agent departures decimated their championship core, leading to five straight losses and four last-place finishes.

Corbin was part of the problem and turned into a pumpkin once he turned 30. From 2020 to 2024, he went 33-70 with a 5.62 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and -2.2 WAR in 137 starts and led the National League in losses each year from 2021 to 2024.

Given Corbin’s contract and Washington’s lack of pitching depth, the team had no choice but to continue throwing him out despite the disastrous results. He couldn’t blame injuries either, as he only missed a handful of starts during his time with the Nationals.

Washington is finally free of Corbin and his $35 million in deferred salary. Hopefully the front office spends money more wisely this offseason.