Corbin Burnes setback could delay Diamondbacks return

Corbin Burnes was shut down in his throwing recovery after a teres major strain, extending the timeline for his return from Tommy John surgery and throwing a wrench into the Arizona Diamondbacks’ playoff hopes. The injury leaves the team leaning on its rotatio

PHOENIX — For much of the second half, Arizona’s playoff math depended on getting Corbin Burnes back on track. Instead. Burnes was shut down in his throwing recovery program from Tommy John surgery after a setback that now threatens to keep the Diamondbacks without their prize free-agent starter for longer than expected.

At the time of his injury. the Diamondbacks were positioned to return to the National League playoffs if the season ended today. The change arrived after Burnes threw about 18 pitches in his first outing against hitters a few days ago. After that first session, he was diagnosed with a teres major strain.

Burnes was expected to return around the All-Star Game. That timeline has shifted. The team said the injury likely sidelined him until at least September, and the right-hander will have to restart another throwing program, perhaps in July.

“This is a blow. and it’s something that we’re going to have to deal with. ” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “It’s what we do in this game. and we’ve got very qualified players in that clubhouse that are going to get some opportunities. We’ve got five really good starting pitchers right now and they’re doing a really good job. I want that to continue.”.

An MRI on Monday showed no further damage. Even so, Arizona still does not know what caused the setback.

“There’s no real defined answer,” Lovullo said. “He felt it after his last outing. He felt like the next day something was just a little tight. He threw a little bit, and it just amplified a little bit. … We’ll just remain hopeful. We want him to get healthy once he gets there.”

The timing is painful because Burnes has already spent much of his early Arizona tenure searching for stability. He signed a six-year, $210 million free-agent contract a year ago, the largest in franchise history. But the expected arc of his comeback has been interrupted: he has made just 11 starts and pitched 64.1 innings after averaging 31 starts and 189 innings in his previous four seasons before joining the Diamondbacks.

Burnes’s arrival in Arizona came with major expectations and major money. He rejected a four-year, $180 million contract to return to the Baltimore Orioles as a free agent. He also had been expected to exercise the opt-out of his contract after the first two seasons and hit free agency again. Instead, the injury now keeps him grounded in Arizona while the season moves on.

The contract details show exactly what Arizona is still carrying. Burnes will remain in Arizona now. with the Diamondbacks owing him $140 million over the next four years. including $11 million deferred each year. His full no-trade provision will be converted to a partial no-trade clause, allowing him to reject trades to 14 clubs.

For the Diamondbacks. the immediate challenge is straightforward: replace the innings they were counting on from Burnes. at least for now. Lovullo pointed to the rotation already in place—five starting pitchers he said are doing their jobs—while the club waits for Burnes to re-build his throwing program and regain the health the MRI did not fully explain.

The sequence of setbacks creates a difficult new reality: Arizona may still have the starting pitching to stay afloat, but the margin for error tightens sharply when the ace return date slips again.

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