Texas Rangers Boss Reveals When New Starting Pitcher Could Debut

The Texas Rangers had already ruled out this starting pitcher for opening day, but fans probably won’t have to wait long for his debut.

Sep 8, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Patrick Corbin (46) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers made what they have hinted at official on Tuesday, as they revealed that Patrick Corbin would not make the opening-day roster.

Per multiple reports, including MLB.com, Corbin accepted an assignment to Triple-A Round Rock so he could continue his build-up for the regular season. President of baseball operations Chris Young made the announcement during a pre-game interview with media.

The Express start their season on the road on Friday at Tacoma. After a three-game set, they return for a six-game series with the Toledo Mud Hens from April 1-6, followed by a day off and another week-long series with the Oklahoma City Dodgers from April 8-13.

That should give Corbin runway to make one, perhaps two starts with the Express before an anticipated debut date of April 11 when the Rangers are at the Seattle Mariners.

Young called it a target date for Corbin, who threw a simulated game at Globe Life Field on Monday.

In that sim game, he threw 75 pitches in the equivalent of five innings against Rangers hitters. That’s in line with the build-up he’s been doing on his own in Jupiter, Fla., while waiting for a deal. He told reporters that he’s thrown as many as 85 pitches in a bullpen session.

If Texas is trying to keep him on a normal build-up schedule, he could accompany the Express to Tacoma and pitch this weekend.

Texas formally announced it starting rotation on Tuesday. Nathan Eovaldi will take the ball on opening day against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. Jack Leiter will pitch on Friday, followed by Tyler Mahle and Jacob deGrom. Kumar Rocker will depth in the Rangers’ first road game at Cincinnati on Monday.

Texas is deploying deGrom, a two-time Cy Young winner, at the back of the rotation to take advantage of normal off-days as he returns from Tommy John surgery in 2023.

The Rangers signed Corbin to a $1.1 million deal last week after losing both Cody Bradford and Jon Gray to injuries to start the season, thus depleting the rotation. He didn’t join the team until Monday so he could be in Florida for the birth of his child.

Corbin is a two-time All-Star and a 2019 World Series champion with the Washington Nationals, and he has started at least 30 games in each of the last seven full seasons (excluding 2020). But his performance of late has been awful.

After going 14-7 in 2019, the first year of a six-year, $140 million deal, he’s gone 33-70 with a 5.62 ERA.