Former Arizona Diamondback and current Texas Rangers starting pitcher Patrick Corbin took the mound on Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Angels and delivered a performance that was superhuman.
And no, we’re not taking about Corbin’s 5.1 innings of work where the pitcher registered six strikeouts and allowed one earned run on the way to a win.
It’s all about what happened prior to his second start of the regular season.
“We weren’t even sure if he was going to pitch,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy told reporters ahead of Thursday’s win.
“He had a bite. He could hardly walk when he came into the clubhouse. Some kind of venom got in there. Not sure if it was a spider or what. He was 50-50 on whether he would make the start or not.”
Sounds like just about every Spider-Man origin story to us. The fact Corbin dons red and blue as a member of the Rangers just adds to the whole aesthetic.
So, what’s next? Is he going to show up in a skin-tight suit blasting Spider-Man’s theme song before stepping on the mound? Scale down Globe Life Field?
Might as well lean into it, Corbin.
How did Patrick Corbin become MLB’s Spider-Man?
Corbin was staying at former Diamondbacks pitcher Max Scherzer’s house and playing with his kids when he noticed his right foot was swollen.
But with great foot pain, comes great responsibility, which is why Corbin headed to the stadium earlier than usual to get it checked out.
“Something bit me, but I still don’t know what,” Corbin told reporters. “They were able to kind of work it out and just kind of maintain it throughout the day. But it’s pretty sore still.
“It’s just kind of just something that’s really strange. I was just fortunate to get through yesterday, and I have some time to recover and be good to go.”
But when his number was called, Corbin stepped on the mound like nothing was wrong.
It seemed like he was throwing the ball on a string — or should we say a web? — with all six of his strikeouts coming in the first three innings.
“I was fortunate to get through yesterday,” Corbin said on Thursday. “I have some time to recover and be good to go.”
Move over, Peter Parker.
