Dave Martinez of the Washington Nationals speaks highly of his veteran starting pitcher

When the Washington Nationals signed Patrick Corbin as a free agent prior to the 2019 season, he was a talented two-time All-Star who was coming off a season in which he finished fifth in National League Cy Young Award voting.

A six-year, $140 million contract was agreed as there was much optimism about what the future held. In his first year, he showed exactly why this was a great move.

He finished 11th in Cy Young Award voting, going 14-7 in 33 starts and 202 innings, striking out 238 batters. He performed admirably in the postseason, throwing three straight innings, relieving Max Scherzer from the bullpen, and helping seal a Game 7 over the Houston Astros in the World Series.

This was by far the highlight of Corbin’s career in this series. From that point on, there wasn’t much to get excited about on the field.

2019 was the last time the Nationals reached the postseason, and the veteran lefty performed admirably on the field.

As of 2020, there isn’t a pitcher in baseball who has given up more hits or had more earned runs. He also leads all pitchers with 70 losses.

Still, manager Dave Martinez spoke highly of his veteran pitcher. It’s more than just a player’s record.

“Forget about wins and losses,” Martinez said, via Jessica Camerato of MLB.com. “He went out there and competed and kept us in a lot of games. I can go back and look at games where maybe we made a mistake behind his back or didn’t get the shots we needed, but he never complained. He just went out there. Gotta love this.

While the production may not have been what Corbin or the team wanted, it proved to be trustworthy. Every time it was his turn in the rotation, he answered the call and gave the team everything he had.

Washington has pitched 946.2 innings over six seasons. He has made at least 30 starts in eight straight full seasons, not counting the Covid-19-shortened 2020 campaign when he made all 11 turns in the rotation.

That kind of dependability, despite the challenges of performing his capabilities, is something the Nationals manager appreciated in Corbin.

“I’m really proud of him because there were a lot of guys that went through what he went through that would probably shut up about it; he didn’t do that,” Martinez said. “Every five days he would take the ball and go out on the pitch. I’m very proud of him and whatever happens, I had a nice time with him. I know we will always be close. His family is amazing. I’m very happy to have been a part of his career.”

As for free agency, Corbin’s tenure in the capital will likely come to an end. With so many young players ready to deal with issues in the starting rotation, his services may no longer be needed.

Everyone will benefit from playing alongside a veteran of his caliber. The past five years have been challenging, but Corbin will always be remembered for the role he played in helping the team win the 2019 championship.