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.

>"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."

Corbin Burnes' return from Tommy John surgery has hit a snag.IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect / REUTERSBurnes 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.

>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.

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