The Texas Rangers made a notable roster move on Friday, promoting longtime Washington Nationals pitcher Patrick Corbin to the active roster. The 35-year-old left-hander, a two-time All-Star and former Cy Young finalist, will replace Jack Leiter, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with a blister on his right middle finger.
Corbin, who was signed by the Rangers to a one-year deal in mid-March, had not pitched in any spring training games, opting instead to build up his arm at Triple-A Round Rock. However, Leiter’s injury has accelerated Corbin’s promotion, and he is now set to make his Rangers debut next week against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
A 2009 second-round pick by the Los Angeles Angels, Corbin boasts a career record of 103-131 with a 4.51 ERA over 12 seasons. Once considered one of the league’s premier starting pitchers, Corbin amassed a 16.2 bWAR and a 3.80 ERA across nearly 1,150 innings from 2011 to 2019. He signed a six-year, $140 million contract with the Washington Nationals in 2018, but his performance declined in recent years. Over the past five seasons, he posted a 33-70 record with a 5.62 ERA and -2.3 bWAR. Despite these struggles, Corbin earned the respect of Nationals fans, especially after receiving a standing ovation during his final start with the team last September.
Now with the Rangers, Corbin will look to revive his career and contribute to their pitching staff, whether in Texas or potentially with another team later on.
