Nationals Tap Patrick Corbin to Start NLDS Game 1 vs Dodgers

The Washington Nationals, fresh off a thrilling victory over the Brewers in the National League Wild Card Game Tuesday evening, now get to reap their reward: an NLDS meeting with the single stingiest team in the game, the Los Angeles Dodgers.

And ahead of Thursday's Game 1 at Chavez Ravine, Davey Martinez has named Patrick Corbin as his starting pitcher.

The Dodgers have yet to name their Game 1 guy as of this writing -- for what it's worth, Cy Young contender Hyun-Jin Ryu threw the penultimate game of the regular season on Sept. 28 -- but Nats fans have got to like how Corbin's might matches up against just about anyone. The 30-year-old lefty enters the playoffs with a 3.25 ERA and 1.183 WHIP over 202 innings in 2019, and the Nats went 5-1 during his half-dozen starts in September.

It's a serious test anytime you've got to face a lineup that features the presumptive NL MVP in Cody Bellinger, to say nothing of the fearsome trio of Max Muncy, Justin Turner, and Joc Pederson. But given what we saw last night when it mattered most, Washington is entering the Division Series with the hot hand.