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D-Backs say Corbin dealing with endurance issues

Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The Arizona Diamondbacks are worried that as the game wears on, Patrick Corbin's stuff gets less effective.

Manager Chip Hale said he doesn't think it's a huge issue, and once he throws more pitches it'll correct itself. But either way, he said it's worth monitoring.

“I think it’s just endurance,” Hale told reporters. “Coming off of Tommy John, we were so careful with him (when) we limited his pitch count and limited his innings (in 2015), it’s what you should do to keep him healthy. I think this is just part of the process.

“We really have to keep a close watch in the fifth, sixth inning, to see where his velocity is and how his stuff is.”

After missing the 2014 season following elbow surgery, Corbin was contained to 91 pitches or less in all of his 16 starts last season. This year, he's eclipsed that mark in each of his past four starts.

Hale added that catcher Welington Castillo thought Corbin was fine Tuesday until the final two hitters of the game - Marcell Ozuna and Giancarlo Stanton.

The velocity on his slider dipped to the mid-to-upper-70s and his fastball dropped to 89, the same as his prior start. Corbin typically sits in the 92-93 mph range with his fastball and 80-81 with the slider.

This season, Corbin is 1-3 with a 4.91 ERA over 36 2/3 innings.

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