Former Cy Young winner Corbins Burnes suffers 'setback' (lat) in return for Diamondbacks from Tommy John surgery: 'It's a blow'

The Arizona Diamondbacks are going to have to wait even longer for the return of their pitching ace.

Manager Torey Lovullo announced on Wednesday that Corbin Burnes has a right lat injury that will sideline him from throwing activities in his recovery from last year's Tommy John surgery.

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"He has a terus major strain in his right lat area," Lovullo told reporters. "He's gonna be pulled back from throwing, and it's weeks not days."

Lovullo said that imaging had confirmed the injury and the he's "not sure" precisely how long it will continue to sideline Burnes. He did float September as a potential new timeframe for Burnes' return, per the Arizona Republic, and described the setback as "a blow."

Burnes won the 2021 NL Cy Young award while pitching for the Milwaukee Brewers. After a single season with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024, Burnes signed a six-year, $210 million contract with the Diamondbacks on the heels of four consecutive All-Star selections. His contract is the richest in franchise history.

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Burnes made 11 starts in 2025 before being shut down in June to undergo Tommy John surgery. Nearly a year since, he's been throwing bullpen sessions with the goal of returning to the rotation sometime in July. Now it sounds like he'll return in September at the earliest.

The sooner the better for the Diamondbacks, who are in the heart of the NL wild-card race as midseason approaches at 32-28. If he returns to form, Burnes projects as a difference maker at the top of Arizona's rotation.

But the Diamondbacks aren't expected to take any unnecessary chances while ensuring that Burnes is at no undue risk of further injury before he returns to the mound.