SAN DIEGO — The Diamondbacks placed right-hander Corbin Burnes on the 15-day injured list with shoulder inflammation on Friday, the club announced.
Burnes had been scheduled to start Saturday night’s game against the Padres as the Diamondbacks try to chase down the Phillies for the final NL Wild Card spot.
Burnes was signed by the Diamondbacks to a six-year, $210 million contract prior to the 2025 season and made 11 starts before having to undergo Tommy John surgery in June last year. The club hoped that he would return around the All-Star break this season.
However, in June, Burnes suffered a strain of his right teres major muscle, which set him back, and he did not make his season debut for Arizona until Sept. 8, when he started and threw three shutout innings against the Royals.
Over his next two starts, Burnes allowed nine earned runs in 7 1/3 innings.
Arizona GM Mike Hazen said Burnes did not feel like the ball was coming out of his hand well in his last start and a subsequent throwing session.
While Burnes didn’t complain of any arm discomfort, the team flew him from Denver to Phoenix to have an MRI. The MRI showed inflammation, and Burnes will get a second opinion.
“It was building over the last five days when he was trying to throw a bullpen, go through a throwing program, trying to engage with a little more intensity in the build-up between the starts. It just wasn’t working, and he couldn’t figure out why,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said.
Lovullo said the team is still working through options for how to approach Saturday’s starter. A lot will depend on how they get through Friday’s game and how much of their bullpen they need to use.
Right-handed starter Jose Cabrera was recalled from Triple-A Reno to take Burnes’ place on the roster. He is a possibility to give them some innings along with Zac Gallen, who was recently moved to the bullpen, and Ryne Nelson, who is returning from an injury of his own.
The Diamondbacks could use an opener and then have someone throw bulk innings, or they could go with a bullpen game.