Mysterious Bite Leads to Patrick Corbin's 50-50 First Texas Victory

Hitting the mound with a hobbled ankle isn’t what one would call an optimal situation, especially for Patrick Corbin, the veteran southpaw who’s recently made a splash with the Texas Rangers. His deal was inked just a few weeks back, March 18th to be exact, after a six-season stint with the Washington Nationals. And yet, it seems that Mother Nature had a peculiar way of testing this contract when Corbin hobbled into the clubhouse with a swollen ankle. What caused this, you ask? None other than an insect bite—a seemingly small mishap with potentially big consequences.

Now, I’ve seen my fair share of been-there, done-that moments in sports but watching a player rise above an unwelcomed challenge, it still gets me every time… Here he is, the 35-year-old Corbin, who’s seen more than his fair share of the ups and downs of the game, grappling with a swollen ankle but determined to play. It was indeed a toss-up, as he himself admitted, “I wasn’t even sure if I was going to throw this morning” to the curious reporters bundled at his locker.

Bochy, the venerable manager, shared his take with that mix of concern and hope that only managers seem to possess: “He could hardly walk when he came in. I mean, I’m not sure, could be a spider bite or something else.”

But the show must go on. The treatment he got seemed to work its magic, and Corbin took to the mound. And my oh my, how he delivered! Not just the 5 1/3 innings but allowing only one run, albeit accompanied by five hits. Enough for the Rangers to clinch a narrow 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

To players like Corbin, resilience isn’t just a buzzword tossed around in pressers, it’s their lifeblood, the very essence of their commitment to the sport. The game, the fans, the noise—all depend on them showing up, even when they’re not showing up whole. LEARN MORE on this extraordinary game performance, where despite personal hardships, a professional athlete pulled through.

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