CINCINNATI -- The numbers don’t look good this season for Patrick Corbin, but the Nationals' left-hander is focusing on the positives as he heads into an important offseason.
Corbin has been watching video with fellow lefty Josh Rogers and working to improve various aspects of his delivery during his bullpen sessions.
Thursday night’s outing in a 3-2 win over the Reds at Great American Ball Park was a sign that the extra work is starting to pay off.
“I’ve worked on a couple things in my bullpens, and every day when I’m throwing to help repeat my delivery a little better,” Corbin said. “Just staying over my legs a little bit more and trying to throw quality strikes.”
Corbin who tossed 6 2/3 shutout innings Thursday, is 9-15 with a 5.92 ERA in his 30 starts this season, a far cry from being the same pitcher who went a combined 25-14 with a 3.20 ERA for the Nationals in 2018 and ’19.
But Corbin, 32, saw plenty of encouraging signs Thursday, particularly with his slider.
“I know I had the four walks, but I thought I was around the plate,” Corbin said. “I thought it’s the most consistent slider it’s been this year. They have some good hitters over there. I pitched ahead of guys, got some ground balls.”
He also got a couple of huge strikeouts to escape a bases-loaded jam in the third. With one out, Corbin fanned Nick Castellanos and Joey Votto in succession.
“I walked two guys [in the inning], but thought I made some good pitches that they laid off,” Corbin said. “Their two best hitters coming up there. In that situation, I was going for the strikeout, for sure.”
Corbin got 14 of his 26 swings and misses on the slider, and eight called strikes with his sinker. When he’s going well, Corbin is getting guys to swing and miss on the slider.
“That’s huge to me,” said Nationals manager Dave Martinez. “His two-seamer down, sinker outside to righties and then the slider inside. He’s got both sides of the plate covered. That’s something we’ve talked about.”
Despite the poor stat line in 2021, Martinez said he’s pleased with how Corbin has approached this season and the work he’s put in to get better.
“We talked after he came out of the game [on Thursday],” Martinez said. “He felt really well. His slider was really good. It’s frustrating for Patrick. He didn’t put up the numbers he wanted to. But he comes to the ballpark every day and he’s prepared.”
Martinez is recommending that Corbin not pick up a ball for a month after the season to allow him to refocus mentally. Corbin said he might take a little bit longer than that before he starts throwing this offseason. One thing’s for sure: He won’t spend a lot of time this winter looking at his stats from 2021.
“The numbers have been terrible,” Corbin said. “I just have to find a way to get better. I think we’re going in the right direction. Hoping I can finish things off with another good one and take it into next year.”