ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS

Will Patrick Corbin be shut down for the rest of the season?

Sep 18, 2013, 7:39 AM | Updated: 1:44 pm

On Tuesday, the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Patrick Corbin strode out to the Chase Field pitcher’s mound to pitch the 200th inning of his coming-out season, set to face Los Angeles Dodgers sluggers Hanley Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez and Matt Kemp.

But the 24-year-old didn’t make it through the frame.

Despite cornering the first two hitters in 0-2 counts, he would ultimately walk Ramirez before serving up a towering home run to Gonzalez and a hard-hit double to Kemp.

And although the inning was a microcosm of Corbin’s recent struggles, it was hardly a reflection of his season.

The young southpaw has climbed from the throes of a roster-spot battle — in which he, Tyler Skaggs and Randall Delgado were competing for the no. 5 spot in the Diamondbacks rotation — to ace status, representing the National League in July’s All-Star Game at Citi Field in New York.

But now, with the Diamondbacks’ postseason hopes dwindling in sync with Corbin’s performance, it seems likely the team will shut him down for the rest of the season.

Following Tuesday’s beatdown at the hands of the Dodgers, Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said that the organization had yet to come to a decision on whether or not to shut the pitcher down for the remainder of the season, which would otherwise include two more Corbin starts.

“We haven’t had that conversation; the game just got over,” Gibson told reporters.

“(General manager Kevin Towers) isn’t here, so I haven’t even talked to him, but we’ll see how Patrick feels. He didn’t throw a lot of pitches tonight.”

Corbin is, nonetheless, showing signs of wear. Over his last five starts, he is 1-4 with a 7.67 ERA — a far cry from the form he enjoyed early in the season.

Corbin went 9-0 in his first 11 starts, his team winning each of his first 13 starts, and on May 20 he boasted an NL-low 1.44 ERA. Among his 14 wins on the year were a trio of marquee performances in which he out-dueled opposing premier left-handers Clayton Kershaw, Cole Hamels and Hyun-Jin Ryu.

Now in mid-September, at 199.0 innings pitched, Corbin has thrown more innings than ever before in his professional career. Last season, he tallied 186.1 innings between the major leagues and two lower levels. In 2011, he threw 160.1 innings with Double-A Mobile.

Unfazed by his recent trials and overall workload, Corbin says he plans to make his next two starts.

“I feel fine,” he said following Tuesday’s game. “I just want to finish the season on a good note. And heading into next season, I just want to try to go out there and do the best I can.

“I’m just going to say I’m fine and I’m ready to go,” he went on, “and whatever (the organization) decides to do is up to them. I feel fine.”

With expanded rosters, a horde of young, promising arms in the minor leagues and a long reliever who may have earned the opportunity to make a start in Josh Collmenter, the Diamondbacks may look to let another pitcher take the ball when Corbin’s next start rolls around Sunday in Denver.

Such a decision would close the book on the Corbin’s beyond-belief year in a way few could have expected just weeks ago — going 1-4 down the stretch and lasting just two innings in his final start.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Corbin Carroll...

Alex Weiner

Diamondbacks OF Corbin Carroll ready to ‘migrate north’ in batting order

Corbin Carroll had been hitting in the bottom third in the lineup, and manager Torey Lovullo teased he would be moving back up.

1 day ago

Joc Pederson...

Alex Weiner

‘Mad’ Diamondbacks aim to build off hitting outburst from win over Padres

Every few days this season it seems the Arizona Diamondbacks muster a dominant offensive outburst to blowout an opponent. 

2 days ago

Ketel Marte...

Arizona Sports

Diamondback bats come alive after stretch of poor offensive showings

After a recent stretch of poor offense, the D-backs finally turned the bats on in Sunday's game against the San Diego Padres at Chase Field.

2 days ago

Eduardo Rodriguez...

Alex Weiner

Diamondbacks’ Lovullo gives encouraging updates on Rodriguez, Sewald

Veteran pitchers Eduardo Rodriguez and Paul Sewald were in the Diamondbacks' clubhouse Sunday, and Torey Lovullo gave encouraging updates. 

2 days ago

Ryne Nelson...

Arizona Sports

Diamondbacks activate RHP Ryne Nelson off injured list, option LHP Brandon Hughes to Reno

The Diamondbacks activated pitcher Ryne Nelson off the 15-day injured list ahead of Sunday's ballgame against the Padres. 

2 days ago

Ketel Marte...

Alex Weiner

Diamondbacks crushed by Padres in nightmarish stretch: ‘We’re pretty frustrated’

Brandon Pfaadt battled, but it was otherwise a tough night at the ballpark for the Diamondbacks in a lopsided loss to the Padres.

3 days ago

Will Patrick Corbin be shut down for the rest of the season?