Patrick Corbin Braves Suspected Spider Bite to Lead Rangers Over Angels

Texas Rangers pitcher Patrick Corbin faced one of the more unusual obstacles for an athlete this week: a suspected spider bite that almost sidelined him from his scheduled start. The 35-year-old walked into the Rangers' clubhouse on Wednesday morning with a swollen ankle, reportedly the aftermath of an insect bite two days earlier.

Corbin, speaking to reporters, admitted, "It was really bad in the morning. I wasn’t sure if I was going to throw." Even his manager, Bruce Bochy, was unsure if Corbin would make it, saying, "He could hardly walk when he came in. I don’t know if it was a spider or what. Some kind of venom got in there. He was 50/50 on whether he would make the start or not." Honestly, the only thing missing from this scene was a superhero origin story.

Despite the drama, Corbin received treatment and managed to take the mound. He pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing just one run on five hits, striking out six, and ultimately picking up the win as the Rangers defeated the Los Angeles Angels 3-1. Talk about shaking off adversity—most people would call in sick for far less.

The Rangers signed Corbin late in spring training on March 18, seeking reinforcements amidst injuries to their pitching staff. Corbin, now in his 13th MLB season, spent his first six years with the Arizona Diamondbacks—earning two All-Star nods—before heading to the Washington Nationals for another six years, where he played a crucial role in their 2019 World Series championship.

With the Rangers now sitting at 12-7, their next challenge comes against the Los Angeles Dodgers (14-6) on Friday at 8:05 p.m. ET. Whether or not any more creepy crawlers will try to interfere remains to be seen, but after this week, Corbin seems ready for anything.