Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Corbin Burnes was forced to leave the 3-1 win over the Washington Nationals on June 1 after experiencing elbow discomfort. On June 3, the club placed him on the injured list as the club evaluated his situation further. After some tests, it appears Burnes is going to miss the remainder of the season.
Reports indicate that the 30-year-old starting pitcher is going to undergo Tommy John surgery, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Burnes’ last start saw him record six strikeouts while allowing four hits, a walk, and an earned run through 4.2 innings pitched.
“Arizona Diamondbacks starter Corbin Burnes will undergo Tommy John surgery. Brutal loss for the D-backs in his first year of a six-year, $210 million contract.”
The Diamondbacks signed Burnes in the offseason, with the hopes of him serving as a Top 2 option in the rotation. Corbin Burnes was exceeding expectations through his 11 starts. He was seemingly one of the best players on the team this season, owning a 2.66 ERA and 1.166 WHIP with 63 strikeouts through 64.1 innings pitched.
Corbin Burnes joined Arizona after spending a one-year stint with the Baltimore Orioles. Baltimore was unable to re-sign him, as the Diamondbacks snagged him, signing him to a six-year, $210 million deal. It was a move that gave the franchise a solid rotation to complement the potent offense.
With Corbin Burnes getting Tommy John surgery, the Diamondbacks are likely to use a rotation consisting of Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Brandon Pfaadt, Ryne Nelson, and Eduardo Rodriguez. There’s a possibility Arizona finds another starting pitcher to add to the mix to utilize a six-man rotation. However, that is yet to be determined at this time.
Losing Burnes for the season is a brutal blow for the Diamondbacks. Especially considering the club is in fourth place and right behind the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres in the NL West.
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