Nats swept by Royals after Corbin's send-off (updated)

Wins and losses aren’t the only measures of success, especially for a rebuilding team. But for a rebuilding team like the Nationals, who believe they are closer to competing than not, the win-loss column is a good marker for improvement.

The five seasons since the 2019 World Series championship have been marred by sub-.500 records, bottoming out with 107 losses in 2022. But the Nats made a lot of progress last year, with a 16-win improvement in 2023. And they were on pace earlier this year to make even more progress by the end of the season.

Eleven days ago, the Nats were only four victories away from surpassing last year’s 71 wins with 13 games remaining. But after a long slump, they were running out of time to achieve that.

Now after a 7-4 loss to finish a sweep at the hands of the Royals, the Nats need to win at least two games against the Phillies this weekend to match last year’s win total and sweep the National League East champions (who are still playing for home-field advantage in the postseason) to surpass it.

"Once again, we just couldn't score any more runs," said manager Davey Martinez after the game.

Yes, first and foremost, the Nationals needed to score a run. You can’t win a baseball game without at least pushing one runner across the plate. Entering today’s game, they were riding a 31-inning scoreless streak dating back to the top of the sixth inning Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field.

One inning shy of tying the club record for consecutive scoreless innings in a single season, the Nats came out swinging and finally put up a non-zero number on the scoreboard, albeit by unconventional and fortunate means.

Dylan Crews reached in the bottom of the first via an error on a routine infield popup by Royals second baseman Maikel Garcia. James Wood singled to center and Juan Yepez hit into a force out at second, allowing Crews to touch home and give the Nats a quick 1-0 lead.

It was an unearned run, but at least it was a run.

To win baseball games, you also need strong starting pitching, something the Nats have not received a lot of from Patrick Corbin, whose struggles on the mound have coincided with the team’s struggles over the past five seasons.

In what is very likely his last start in Curly W cap, Corbin received a round of applause as he was introduced in the starting lineup and then took the field by himself while his teammates waited in the dugout to give the lefty the moment to himself.

He then started the afternoon strong with a perfect first inning on 12 pitches, eight for strikes. But the veteran couldn’t quite capture the redemption he was seeking.

Corbin gave up a tying home run to Hunter Renfroe in the second on a low-and-away sinker that the right fielder was able to muscle out to center. He then started the third with a walk and five straight hits to give Kansas City a 4-1 lead.

“I felt good. I had a lot of quick innings there," Corbin said in front of his locker in the Nats clubhouse for probably the last time. "That one inning there, just a little upset with the walk to start the inning and a couple of bloopers that fell in. And then gave up a couple of hard-hit balls. They were pretty aggressive in that inning. But yeah, I thought outside of that, I stayed on the corners, pitched pretty well.”

The Nats’ slumping offense continued to wake up and ensured Corbin wouldn’t depart the game in line for his 78th loss as a National. With one out in the bottom of the third, Wood drew a walk and Yepez singled to set up Luis García Jr.’s three-run home run to tie the game at 4-4.

“It feels great," García said, via interpreter Octavio Martinez. "The whole point is to try to keep the team in the game, which I did. The results weren't what we wanted, but it feels great to tie the game and basically keep us in the game at that point.”

García’s 17th homer of the season came off a high changeup that was hit 400 feet over the center field wall with an exit velocity of 103.2 mph.

With the game tied, Corbin retired the next seven batters he faced before Davey Martinez pulled him with one out in the sixth, allowing the often-criticized starter to receive one final ovation from the crowd. Corbin, who usually departs his outings with his head down, lifted his head and waved his hat to the 14,357 fans applauding him for what is probably the last time.

“That was cool," Corbin said. "Kind of maybe thought something (would happen). Davey might come out in that situation there. But yeah, I think that might be my first one of those. But it was cool. I mean, it's half my career I've been here. I got to experience a lot with the fans and they've supported us throughout the years that I've been here. So nothing but love towards them and that was really special.”

“It's almost like I didn't want to take him out," Davey Martinez said. "But I think he understood. And like I said, I couldn't be happier for him or his family. And I know this ain't the last of Patrick. Like I said, he'll be a free agent, but who knows what's going to happen. But he's done well.”

Corbin’s final stats for this season include a 6-13 record, 5.62 ERA, 1.500 WHIP, 54 walks and 139 strikeouts. He also gave up 208 hits and 109 earned runs, both worst in the major leagues. And his numbers over the last six seasons with the Nats aren't much better: 47-77 record with a 5.11 ERA in 170 starts.

“These last six years have gone by fairly quickly, looking back now," he said. "But I enjoyed every second of it. I don't regret anything. I enjoyed my time here. And obviously to win the World Series, start a family and get to meet all you guys. So it was great. I really enjoyed it all.”

But today he was off the hook, with his season (and almost certainly his Nationals career) now over as one the last remaining pieces of that 2019 championship team. And the Nats faithful applauding him for the banner he helped bring to South Capitol Street.

“Awesome. I can't say enough about our fans," Davey Martinez said. "Our fans remember. They're awesome. I always say they're our 27th man and they get it. And it was very appreciative. I know he took it to heart.”

Derek Law and Jose A. Ferrer followed Corbin in keeping the Royals off the scoreboard, with only one baserunner reaching via an error by Nasim Nuñez in the sixth. Other than that, they retired nine of the 10 batters they faced through the eighth inning.

Kyle Finnegan, however, could not keep that streak going nor find the strike zone in the ninth. After a leadoff walk, stolen base, another walk and a sacrifice bunt, the Nats closer gave up the go-ahead runs on a two-run single to pinch-hitter Adam Frazier, aided by a bobble by Wood in left field. After another walk to Bobby Witt Jr. and another RBI hit from Salvador Perez made it 7-4, Martinez had no choice but to pull his closer.

“I think from pitch one just didn't really have it," Finnegan said. "And spent the entire inning trying to find it. Just felt the timing was off and was trying to battle as best I could to just throw strikes. The walks killed me.”

And aside from García’s homer, the Nats offense went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position and left four runners on base. Dating back to the seventh inning on Saturday in Chicago, the Nats are now just 1-for-27 with runners in scoring position and have left 27 runners on base.

There are only three games remaining in the 2024 season and they are against one of the best teams in baseball, a team that still has a lot to play for and against whom the Nats have struggled while posting a 2-8 record.

Without at least one good showing this weekend, this once promising season could finish on a very sour note for the Nats.

“Obviously, we struggled hitting. I want to see better at-bats. More consistent at-bats," the skipper said. "But like I said, when you have this many young players, you gotta just kind of keep grinding, keep teaching. I know a lot of these guys are going to learn, take what they learned this year and come back next year ready to go. It's a long year for some of these kids. Some of these kids have never played this long. … But that being said, we got a game tomorrow against the Phillies, so let's get ready to play tomorrow.”

“We've got one more series left," Corbin said. "These guys are still working hard trying to finish the season on a good note and I'll be here with them to try to finish the season with a couple of wins.”