Since winning the World Series in 2019, the Washington Nationals have struggled significantly by prioritizing loyalty to underperforming players instead of adapting and modernizing their strategies. This commitment to familiarity has resulted in five consecutive losing seasons and deployments of veteran pitchers Patrick Corbin and Stephen Strasburg, despite their decline in performance. Corbin's poor statistics led to him becoming one of the worst starters in baseball, yet he remained in the lineup out of loyalty. Strasburg's massive contract also hindered the team's flexibility, ultimately costing Rizzo and Martinez their positions.
From 2020 to 2024, Corbin posted ERAs of 4.66, 5.82, 6.31, 5.20, and 5.62, with the highest ERA (5.61) among all MLB starters with at least 300 innings.
Rizzo defended Corbin's spot by pointing to his durability, saying "he pitched every fifth day." Most organizations would have moved on, but Washington kept sending him out.
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