Diamondbacks' $210 Million Pitcher Suffers Another Injury Setback
The Arizona Diamondbacks are somehow hanging around in the National League West.
Arizona entered Wednesday just half a game behind the San Diego Padres for first place in the division, so there is some hope that the Diamondbacks could make a Wild Card run this season.
However, any hope of starting pitcher Corbin Burnes returning soon just got shut down with yet another injury setback for the former All-Star.
Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo revealed that Burnes is dealing with a teres major strain and is now expected to be out until September, according to Nick Piecoro of AZ Central.
Lovullo says this probably pushes Corbin Burnes' timeline for a return back to around September.
— Nick Piecoro (@nickpiecoro) June 3, 2026
Burnes was making progress as he faced live hitters recently for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery in the 2025 season.
The Diamondbacks signed Burnes to a whopping six-year, $210 million deal prior to the 2025 season, and he was expected to be a big piece of the rotation.
However, Burnes made just 11 starts in 2025, going 3-2 with a 2.66 ERA before suffering the injury and missing the remainder of the season.
Lovullo also added it will be "weeks, not days" regarding Burnes' latest setback, so this is not the promising news Arizona was hoping for.
Torey Lovullo said Corbin Burnes has suffered a setback, with a teres major strain in his shoulder.
— Alex D'Agostino (@AlexDagAZ) June 3, 2026
He'll be pulled back from throwing.
"Weeks, not days."
Burnes is a four-time All-Star who won the Cy Young award in 2021 while pitching for the Milwaukee Brewers, but things have not gone very well since he came to Arizona.
Diamondbacks Need More From Other Pitchers, Including Zac Gallen
Arizona's pitching is decent, and it ranks at No. 14 in ERA this season and 17th in batting average against.
Still, Burnes was doing well, and a return to the mound was going to be a big boost for the starting rotation.
Zac Gallen, who re-signed with Arizona this offseason, has gotten off to a disastrous start. Through 12 starts, Gallen is 3-4 with a 5.16 ERA.
Merrill Kelly has gone 5-3 with a 5.06 ERA, so neither veteran has shown much promise this season.
If the Diamondbacks are still flirting with an NL Wild Card spot when July comes, maybe they explore the market to add another starting pitcher, especially after the latest injury setback for Burnes.
Related: MLB Insider Names Diamondbacks Veteran as Potential Trade Option
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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 4:08 PM.