In what’s shaping up to be one of Major League Baseball’s most unexpected storylines of the 2025 season, veteran pitcher Patrick Corbin is not just reviving his career—he’s redefining it. Once viewed as a fading star clinging to a big contract, Corbin has become a key pillar of the Texas Rangers’ starting rotation, and fans are calling him something new: “The Idol.”
A New Chapter in Texas
Corbin, 35, signed a one-year deal with the Rangers this past March after spending six turbulent seasons with the Washington Nationals. Following the Nationals’ 2019 World Series triumph—where Corbin played a crucial relief role—his performance steadily declined. Between 2020 and 2024, Corbin led the league in losses three times and posted ERAs north of 5.00, struggling under the weight of a hefty contract and a rebuilding team.
Now, in a Rangers uniform, he’s rewriting his legacy.
“I just wanted a fresh start,” Corbin said after his latest outing. “Being here, working with this staff, this clubhouse… it’s special. And I’m just trying to do my part.”
Dominating the Mound Once Again
Corbin’s 2025 resurgence has shocked many around the league. Through seven starts, he holds a 3.35 ERA and a 4–2 record, his best start to a season since 2018, when he was an All-Star with the Diamondbacks. On May 14, he struck out nine batters across six scoreless innings in a win over Colorado, cementing his place as one of the club’s most reliable arms.
“His command has returned, and he’s attacking hitters in a way we haven’t seen in years,” said Rangers manager Bruce Bochy. “He’s earned every bit of this role.”
The Idol Rises
In the clubhouse, Corbin’s resurgence has taken on a symbolic meaning. Younger players have dubbed him “The Idol”, a nickname meant both in admiration and irony—a nod to how far he’s come from being considered baseball’s most overpaid pitcher to now leading a playoff-contending rotation.
“You see the work he puts in and how he carries himself—he’s earned that name,” said teammate Dane Dunning. “He’s a leader. He’s teaching us not just how to pitch, but how to survive and come out better on the other side.”
Leading a Playoff Push
The Rangers’ rotation, plagued by injuries to Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer, has found stability through Corbin, Nathan Eovaldi, and breakout lefty Cody Bradford. Together, the staff owns the second-best team ERA in the American League as of mid-May. After a slow start to the season, Texas now sits above .500 and is closing in on the AL West lead.
Bochy believes Corbin’s influence extends beyond the mound.
“He’s a professional. He’s been through the highs and the lows. When you have someone like that still competing, still pushing—others follow,” Bochy said.
A Story of Redemption
Corbin’s comeback is more than a statistical blip—it’s a story of redemption. Once the target of criticism and trade rumors, he now finds himself at the center of a franchise looking to return to the postseason for the second time in three years.
“I didn’t expect to be called an idol,” Corbin said with a smile, “but I’ll wear that title with pride if it means I’m helping this team win.”
And win they just might. With Corbin leading the charge, the Rangers have found not only a dependable starter—but a spark, a symbol, and a second chance.
